A Little Older ( ) Min Yoongi ( )

a little older (더 나이든) — min yoongi (민 윤기)

✧.* 18+

building a life of your own was supposed to be the most important thing, a sacred endeavor carved out of dreams and determination. it was meant to be a testament to resilience, a collection of moments carefully stacked like cards, each one representing a triumph, a choice, a whispered hope. every decision, every relationship, every step forward was like placing a new card on the fragile structure—delicate, yet full of potential. there was an elegance in the construction, a beauty in the precariousness, as each layer rose higher, promising a future that was uniquely yours.

the foundation was always more fragile than it seemed. life, with all its unpredictable twists, was like a breath of wind, capable of unsettling even the sturdiest of foundations. the careful balance, once so meticulously maintained, could be disrupted by a single misstep, a fleeting moment of imbalance. and when it happened—when that one card faltered—it was as if time slowed, the world held its breath, and the house of cards began to tremble. in an instant, everything you had built with such care, such hope, began to collapse. the cards fell, one by one, in a cascading rush of loss. it wasn’t just the physical manifestations of your efforts that crumbled; it was the dreams, the aspirations, the very essence of what you had imagined your life could be. the crash was both silent and deafening, a paradox of destruction that left you standing in the aftermath, surrounded by the scattered remnants of what once was.

in those moments, it became clear that the life you had built, so painstakingly and with such love, was never as invincible as you had believed. it was delicate, ephemeral, a structure of possibilities rather than certainties. and now, with the cards lying in disarray around you, the realization settled in—building a life of your own was not just about the construction, but about the constant balance, the vigilance, the understanding that everything could be lost in a heartbeat. the house of cards was beautiful while it stood, but it was a fragile beauty, one that required more than just ambition to sustain—it demanded a deep awareness of its own impermanence.

the gentle hum of rome surrounded you like a comforting embrace, the city's timeless charm intertwining with the luxurious life you had carefully crafted for yourself. the cobblestone streets underfoot, the scent of freshly brewed espresso wafting through the air, and the vibrant murmur of voices from nearby tables—all were part of the life you had come to know and love. it was a life of indulgence, of quiet moments in quaint coffee shops between photoshoots, where you could savor the richness of your success, the delicate balance of beauty and fame that you had so skillfully maintained.

your phone vibrated softly on the marble tabletop, interrupting your thoughts. the screen flashed with the name of your manager, a reminder of the world that existed just beyond this fleeting moment of peace. you took a slow sip of your coffee before answering, already knowing the conversation that was about to unfold. “why won't you be able to make the shoot in milan?” her voice, usually calm and composed, carried a note of urgency, of disappointment that you could almost feel through the line.

you sighed, the sound heavy with the weight of the decision you had already made. “i gotta go back to daegu,” you began, choosing your words carefully as you gazed out at the bustling street, the vibrant life that you had temporarily claimed as your own. “i was enjoying some time off between shoots, but i have to go back. my mother called. she wants to get the family together.”

there was a brief pause on the other end of the line, the silence stretching uncomfortably between you. then, your manager exhaled, the disappointment in her voice palpable as she responded. “i'm disappointed. you know how important this shoot is, how much it could mean for your career. but i understand—family comes first.” you ended the call with a simple, “i'll be in touch,” the finality of the words echoing in your mind long after the call had disconnected. the weight of her disappointment hung over you like a shadow, mingling with your own. you were disappointed, too—disappointed that your carefully constructed life, the life you had fought so hard to create, was once again being pulled away by forces you couldn’t control.

the last thing you wanted was to spend a month in daegu, surrounded by your family and whoever else your mother decided to invite into your life. you had built something here, something that was yours alone. the glitz and glamour of the modeling world were more than just a career—they were your escape, your sanctuary from the past you had left behind. the riches, the fame, the adoration of the media—they were all a part of the life you had chosen, a life that felt worlds apart from the one that awaited you back home.

your father had always been supportive, his pride in your achievements a quiet but constant presence in your life. but your mother, your mother was another story. she had never truly understood the life you had built, never missed an opportunity to remind you of the family you had left behind, the obligations she believed you were neglecting. she was too emotional, too needy, always quick to turn to you with her problems, her fears, using you as her therapist when all you wanted was to be her daughter. it was a role you had never wanted, a burden you had never asked for, and one that had driven a deep wedge between the two of you.

as you sat in the coffee shop, the realization settled in with a dull ache—you didn’t want to go back. not now, not ever. the life you had built was there, in those moments of quiet luxury, in the thrill of the spotlight, in the knowledge that you were beautiful and that the world loved you for it. the idea of returning to daegu, to the suffocating expectations of family, was almost unbearable.

and yet, there you were, about to board a plane back to the place you had spent so many years trying to escape. you knew that once you were there, the walls you had so carefully constructed around yourself would start to crumble, brick by brick, as your mother’s words chipped away at the confidence you had so painstakingly built. but for now, you let yourself savor the last of your trip. you let the warmth of the roman sun wash over you, let the taste of rich coffee linger on your tongue, let the sound of the city’s heartbeat fill your ears. you allowed yourself this final moment of peace, a small luxury before the storm that awaited you back home.

the airport was a sea of hurried footsteps and murmured conversations, a place of constant motion and transient connections. the lights overhead were bright, almost glaring, casting a harsh glow on the polished floors and sleek, modern architecture. you walked through the bustling terminal with your head down, the brim of your hat casting a shadow over your face. the hat was slightly too big, the edges brushing against your sunglasses, but it was a necessary discomfort. you knew the hat and shades might draw attention, might make people look twice, but it was a risk you were willing to take. you couldn’t afford to be recognized tonight—not when the weight of the decision to return to daegu was already pressing down on you.

the noise of the terminal was a constant hum in your ears, a backdrop of lives intersecting and parting ways. you moved with purpose, but each step felt heavy, as if the gravity of what awaited you back home was pulling you down. the bustling crowd gave you a sense of anonymity, a comfort in the chaos, but there was always the underlying fear—what if someone recognized you? what if a single glance, a moment of misplaced attention, shattered the fragile anonymity you clung to?

you reached the gate, the final checkpoint before you could slip into the relative safety of the plane. the lady at the gate, dressed in a crisp uniform, greeted you with a professional smile, her eyes scanning you briefly before she spoke. “ticket, please.” you handed it over, your fingers brushing against the smooth paper, and you watched as she glanced at it, her expression unchanged until her eyes fell on your name. the realization dawned in her eyes, a flicker of recognition that quickly blossomed into a wide smile.

her voice dropped to a near whisper, a mix of awe and excitement as she spoke again, her tone more personal now. “are you in first class?” you nodded, a small, polite gesture, before affirming softly, “yes, i am.” her fingers trembled slightly as she checked the ticket, the formalities of her job momentarily forgotten as she glanced back up at you. the admiration in her eyes was unmistakable, a look you had seen a thousand times before, but one that still made your stomach twist uncomfortably.

“i’m such a big fan,” she said, her voice almost reverent. “would you mind—?” she trailed off, pulling out a poster she had tucked away—a poster of you, one from a recent campaign, your face smiling back at you with a confidence you didn’t quite feel in this moment. you forced a smile, a nervous laugh escaping your lips as you replied, “of course.” you took the pen she offered, your hand moving almost automatically as you signed your name, the signature that had become so familiar to you, yet felt so alien in moments like this. the pen scratched lightly against the glossy paper, the sound almost lost in the noise of the terminal, but to you, it felt deafening. when you finished, you handed the poster back to her, your smile still in place despite the churning in your stomach.

“thank you so much,” she gushed, her voice barely above a whisper now, as if she were afraid to break the spell. “i hope you have a safe flight.” you nodded again, murmuring your thanks as you took your ticket back, slipping it into your bag with hands that felt too heavy, too cumbersome. the brief encounter had left you feeling exposed, vulnerable in a way that only the public eye could make you feel. as you walked away, towards the plane that would take you back to a life you weren’t ready to face, you kept your head low, your hat pulled down just a little further, your sunglasses pressed tightly to your face.

the publicity was suffocating, a constant reminder of the life you had chosen, a life that came with its own set of rules and expectations. there were moments, fleeting but persistent, when all you wanted was a normal life—one where you could walk through an airport without being recognized, where you could board a plane without the weight of fame pressing down on your shoulders. but that life wasn’t yours to live, not anymore. so you kept your shades on, the brim of your hat shielding you from the world as you made your way to the gate, your steps quickening as you neared the entrance to the plane. you handed your ticket to the flight attendant, her smile professional and warm, and without a word, you slipped past her and into the sanctuary of first class. you found your seat and settled in, sinking into the plush leather with a sigh that was more of resignation than relief.

daegu’s air felt different the moment you stepped off the plane. the warm breeze carried with it the scent of familiarity—of home, of memories both cherished and forgotten. you moved through the terminal with a practiced ease, gathering your luggage as if in a trance. the sleek, designer suitcases were a stark contrast to the airport’s simple decor, a reminder of the life you had built away from here.

once you had everything in hand, you made your way out of the airport, your hat still pulled low over your face, your sunglasses firmly in place. the crowds here were less intense, less likely to recognize you, but you weren’t taking any chances. it was better to remain hidden until you were safely out of public view. you stepped out into the open air, the evening sun casting long shadows on the pavement, and you quickly hailed a cab.

the driver—a man in his mid-fifties with a kind, weathered face—didn’t say much as you slid into the back seat. you gave him the address, and he nodded, pulling away from the curb without a word. the silence was a gift, and you found yourself grateful for it. the drive through daegu’s familiar streets was oddly comforting, the buildings and landscapes bringing back a flood of memories, some pleasant, others less so.

as the car approached your childhood home, you felt a knot tighten in your stomach. you tipped the driver a bit extra as a silent thank you for the uninterrupted journey, and he accepted it with a small, appreciative nod. only when you were certain you were out of sight did you finally remove your sunglasses and hat, letting the cool air of the evening touch your face. you took a deep breath, steadying yourself before stepping out of the cab.

the sight that greeted you was unexpected—your parents stood in front of the house, their faces alight with joy, and a small group of people you didn’t recognize clustered around them. there was a makeshift cookout in the yard, the smell of grilled meat and the sound of laughter filling the air. it was a welcome-home celebration, one that should have made you feel warm inside, but instead, it only heightened your unease.

your father was the first to approach, his arms open wide. he was a strong, silent man, not one for overt displays of affection, but in this moment, he wrapped you in a hug that spoke volumes. you allowed yourself to sink into the embrace, feeling a flicker of genuine warmth. when he released you, you noticed your mother standing off to the side, her expression slightly pinched, as if disappointed that she hadn’t been the first to greet you. still, you turned to her with a smile, pulling her into a hug. her embrace was firmer, more scrutinizing, as if she were searching for something. “you’ve gotten thinner,” she remarked, pulling back to look at you, her tone half-critical, half-concerned.

you couldn’t help but laugh lightly, brushing off her comment. “that’s part of my job, mom.”  your father’s hand came to rest on your shoulder, his voice gentle as he added, “and you’ve gotten prettier, too.” he smiled as he stroked your hair, a gesture that felt both tender and grounding.

“i’ve missed you both,” you said, the words slipping out before you could fully process them. they felt genuine, though, and for a moment, you let yourself believe in the comfort of this reunion. but the moment was fleeting, your eyes drifting to the unfamiliar faces in the yard. “who are all these people?” you asked, unable to keep the curiosity—and slight irritation—from your voice.

your father gestured towards the group, his tone casual as he began introducing you to each of them. “these are some family friends. they’re only here for the day, but one of them will be staying for the month.” you smiled and nodded politely as each person was introduced, some of them expressing admiration for your work. you’d gotten used to it—meeting people who knew you before you knew them—but it didn’t make the encounters any less awkward.

“who’s the one staying?” you asked your father, trying to mask the apprehension in your voice. he chuckled softly, a knowing glint in his eyes. “you know him very well.”

you frowned, confusion knitting your brow. “what do you mean by that?” your father didn’t answer directly. instead, he simply gestured to a man walking toward you from the other side of the yard. you turned to look, your breath catching slightly as you took in his appearance. he was handsome, undeniably so, with a soft smile on his lips and a calm, confident way of moving. there was something familiar about him, but you couldn’t quite place it.

as he approached, his smile widened. “no, this can’t be (y/n),” he said, his tone light, almost teasing. for a moment, all you could think was how striking he was, and how frustrating it was that you couldn’t remember who he was. your father beamed with pride, his gaze flickering between you and the man. “she’s pretty, isn’t she?” he asked, his voice full of paternal affection.

the man nodded, his eyes not leaving yours. “gorgeous,” he said, his voice warm and sincere. there was a pause before he added, “do you remember me?” you searched his face, trying to dig through the layers of your memory, but nothing came to mind. with a reluctant shake of your head, you admitted, “i’m sorry, but no.”

your father laughed, a deep, hearty sound that rumbled through the air. “this is yoongi. he used to come over all the time to take care of you when you were younger and home alone.” your eyes widened in recognition, the pieces of the puzzle suddenly falling into place. “yoongi?” you echoed, incredulity coloring your voice.

he nodded, a small, self-deprecating smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “i’ve changed a bit, haven’t i?” you laughed nervously, still processing the transformation before you. “only in the best way,” you replied, your voice slightly breathless.

yoongi shrugged, the smile on his face turning a bit wry. “that’s what divorce does.” you blinked in surprise, the revelation catching you off guard. “you, you divorced miss jeon?”

he nodded, his expression calm, as if he were discussing something as mundane as the weather. “yeah. it was for the best, though.” you shook your head slightly, still reeling from the news. miss jeon had been such a constant presence in your life, always there to help out, to cook meals when your parents were busy. the idea of her and yoongi no longer being together felt strange, almost surreal. sensing your shock, yoongi gave you a reassuring look. “don’t worry about it,” he said gently. “it was the best outcome for both of us.”

you nodded slowly, still absorbing the information. “it’s just hard to believe.” he smiled again, this time a bit more softly. “i know. but it’s good to see you again.” he paused, stepping forward to envelop you in a warm hug, his arms strong and comforting. as he pulled back, he added with a teasing glint in his eye, “and don’t worry—you’ll be seeing a lot more of me for the next month.” you managed a smile in return, though your mind was still spinning with the unexpected turn of events.

yoongi had changed significantly, to your shock. it seemed to make your father chuckle, his amusement evident at your reaction, but it wasn't temporary shock. you found yourself staring at him for a second too long, trying to process how much he had changed. he was handsome, he seemed less stoic than you remembered. he had been taking care of himself, it was evident in the way his skin shined under the sunlight and how his muscles flexed in his shirt that was just, maybe, a little too tight. you had remembered him as skinny, borderline bland, but he took good care of you while he had to. he looked amazing for his age, even though he wasn't too older than you.

his mine had chosen to run wild, too. he was aware that you were no longer the little girl he watched over with his ex-wife. you had changed, blossomed into a woman. he knew it beforehand, when you had started working. as much as you were a global hit, you were a national star just as much, if not more. he had seen the photos, the interviews, the shoots. the first time he saw them, your father had showed them to him with a proud smile on his face that seemed to clash with yoongi's shock. it wasn't negative in the slightest, he simply couldn't believe how bold and beautiful you had gotten. seeing you in person made all the difference, you were even prettier in person.

the hot water cascaded over your skin, the steady stream washing away the lingering tension of the day. you stood under the showerhead, eyes closed, letting the warmth seep into your muscles, relaxing the knots that had formed from the journey and the unexpected reunion. the steam filled the small bathroom, wrapping you in a comforting cocoon of heat and humidity. the scent of the lavender-scented body wash mingled with the steam, creating an almost meditative atmosphere. there, in the quiet, steamy space, the world outside felt distant, and for a brief moment, you allowed yourself to be fully present, savoring the solitude.

but as you turned off the water and reached for a towel, your hand met only empty space. panic sparked in your chest as you realized you had forgotten to bring one with you. the heat from the shower quickly dissipated, leaving your skin to prickle with the chill of the air. you glanced around the bathroom, hoping to find a spare towel or anything to cover yourself with, but there was nothing.

resigned, you wrapped your arms around yourself as best as you could, trying to cover your body as you opened the bathroom door just a crack. the house was quiet, the murmur of conversation from the yard barely audible through the walls. it was late, and most of the guests had left. you took a deep breath, assuring yourself that everyone else was either outside or already settled in for the night. the coast was clear. you stepped out into the hallway, your bare feet making no sound on the cool wooden floor. with your hands still clutched to your chest, you hurried towards your room, your steps quick and silent. the soft hum of the house was the only sound accompanying you, and you felt a small sense of relief as you neared the safety of your door.

but as you rounded the corner, your breath caught in your throat. standing in the hallway, just a few feet away, was yoongi. He froze, his eyes wide with surprise as they locked onto yours. for a split second, neither of you moved, the shock of the situation rooting you both in place. yoongi’s gaze traveled down, his eyes widening further as he took in the sight of you—damp, vulnerable, and very much exposed. you saw the moment he realized what he was doing, his eyes snapping back up to your face, filled with a mix of apology and something you couldn’t quite place. his mouth opened as if to say something, but no words came out. he seemed to be struggling with himself, as if trying to force his eyes away, but they lingered just a second too long before he finally managed to turn his head, averting his gaze.

your heart pounded in your chest, embarrassment flooding your system as you clutched the clothes in your hands to your body, trying to cover as much of yourself as possible. “i—i’m sorry,” you stammered, the words coming out in a breathless rush. “i forgot to bring a towel.” he shook his head quickly, his back still turned to you, his voice strained as he replied, “no, i’m sorry. i shouldn’t have looked. i didn’t mean to—i wasn’t trying to—” his words trailed off awkwardly, and you could see the tension in his shoulders as he gestured vaguely for you to return to the bathroom. “just go back. i won’t look.”

you didn’t need to be told twice. with your heart still racing, you turned on your heel and hurried back into the bathroom, closing the door behind you with a soft click. leaning against the cool tile, you let out a shaky breath, your skin tingling from both the chill and the residual heat of the shower. the image of his face, the way he had looked at you, flashed through your mind, and you felt your cheeks heat up in a mix of embarrassment and something else you couldn’t quite identify.

meanwhile, yoongi stood in the hallway, cursing himself silently. he had seen you grow up, watched you transform from the little girl he used to babysit into the stunning woman you were now. but that didn’t give him the right to look at you like that, to let his gaze linger when he knew he should have looked away. you were his friend’s daughter, and he was supposed to be here to support you, not ogle you like some kind of creep. he rubbed a hand over his face, trying to dispel the image of you that was now seared into his mind—the way your wet hair clung to your neck, the water droplets that had trailed down your skin, the way you had looked at him with those wide, startled eyes. he had to have some restraint. he couldn’t afford to lose control, not there, not now.

on the other side of the door, you were having similar thoughts. you couldn’t believe you had been so careless, so oblivious to the possibility that someone might see you. the last thing you wanted was to make him uncomfortable, or worse, to leave him with a bad impression of you. you had always respected him, admired him even, and now you couldn’t shake the feeling that you had ruined everything with one careless mistake. as you slowly dressed, your hands still trembling slightly, you couldn’t help but wonder how this would affect the next few weeks. you would be seeing a lot more of him, and the thought of facing him after what had just happened filled you with a mix of dread and nervous anticipation.

dinner that evening was quiet, the usual hum of the house interrupted only by the occasional clink of silverware against porcelain and the soft murmurs of conversation. the long wooden table, covered with a simple white cloth, held the comforting spread of homemade dishes—steamed vegetables, grilled meats, and a bowl of steaming rice, all of which your mother had prepared with care. you had slipped into the kitchen earlier, wordlessly assisting her in setting the table and serving the food. she had smiled at you, her face softening with an expression you hadn’t seen in years. “thank you for helping,” she had said, her voice tinged with a quiet appreciation that made you pause. you had simply nodded in return, trying to ignore the strange twist in your chest.

as you walked into the dining room, you couldn’t help but notice yoongi seated at the table, his posture relaxed but his eyes watchful, as if he were silently observing everything around him. you caught his gaze for the briefest moment, and your heart skipped a beat. his eyes were dark, reflecting the soft light of the room, and when he looked at you, it felt as though he could see right through you. flustered, you quickly looked away, busying yourself with placing the last of the dishes on the table. your mother noticed the faint pink on your cheeks but said nothing, though a small, knowing smile played on her lips.

“you look beautiful in that dress,” yoongi said suddenly, his voice low and smooth, cutting through the comfortable silence. You froze for a moment, the compliment catching you off guard. the white dress was simple, something you had thrown on without much thought, but the way he said it made it feel like a grand gesture.

“yes, it really suits you,” your mother added, her tone bright. she was beaming at you, clearly pleased that someone had noticed. you forced a smile, your hands twisting the fabric of your dress nervously. you could feel yoongi’s eyes on you, and when you finally looked up, he was smiling at you—not just a polite smile, but something warmer, softer, and it sent a shiver down your spine. you tried to smile back, but your lips wobbled with the effort.

you took your seat, feeling his presence beside you like a tangible force, even though he was seated across the table. your father, oblivious to the undercurrent of tension, began to ask you about your recent time in italy. “how was it?” he inquired, his voice full of genuine curiosity.

you paused, gathering your thoughts, and then answered, “i indulged in three things in italy—writing, wine, and men.” the words slipped out with a playful lilt, intended to tease, and the room erupted in laughter. your father chuckled, your mother giggled, and even some of the guests offered polite laughs. but yoongi’s reaction was different. his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, and there was something stiff about the way he forced it onto his face. you caught the change in his expression and quickly looked away, but the image of his tight-lipped smile lingered in your mind. the thought of you—his little princess, as he had once affectionately called you—indulging in men made his stomach churn. he couldn’t reconcile the image of the young girl he had known with the woman sitting before him now.

“did you find a boyfriend?” your mother asked, a hopeful glint in her eyes. the question was laced with expectation, but you shook your head, dismissing the idea. “no, i don’t have time for that,” you replied, waving off the notion with a flick of your hand. the truth was, the thought of settling down, of committing to someone, felt suffocating, especially when your life was a whirlwind of photoshoots and travel. you enjoyed the company, the fleeting connections, but nothing more.

your father nodded thoughtfully and asked about your writing, his voice full of encouragement. “and your writing? how’s that going?” you hesitated for a moment, thinking about the journals and notes you had scribbled away during your time abroad. “i’ve done some dabbling here and there,” you admitted, keeping your tone light. you knew your father was proud of your creativity, always encouraging you to express yourself. but the truth was that the words you had written were a reflection of your darkest thoughts, the sides of yourself you kept hidden from the world. they were pieces of you that you had no intention of sharing.

“you should show us sometime,” he suggested, smiling warmly at you. you nodded, knowing full well that you never would. those words were yours alone, a private sanctuary in a life that was otherwise so public. as dinner wound down, the conversation grew quieter, the energy of the evening mellowing out. the food was nearly finished, and you pushed your plate aside, offering to help your mother clear the table. “i’ll do it,” you said, standing up and beginning to gather the empty plates.

“i’ll help,” yoongi offered, standing up almost immediately, his hands reaching for the dishes as well. you glanced at him, surprised by his sudden eagerness, but you didn’t refuse. together, the two of you worked in silence, clearing the table and bringing the dishes into the kitchen. the room was warm, filled with the lingering smells of the meal, and the only sound was the soft clinking of dishes being stacked.

as you reached for the same plate, your fingers brushed against his. the touch was brief, but it sent a jolt through your system, your breath catching in your throat. you looked up, your eyes locking with his, and for a moment, the world seemed to narrow to just the two of you. his expression softened, something unreadable in his gaze, and you felt a blush creep up your neck, spreading across your cheeks. you both pulled your hands away quickly, embarrassed by the unintended contact. “sorry,” you mumbled, avoiding his eyes as you focused on the dishes. “no, it’s fine,” yoongi replied, his voice steady, though there was an undercurrent of something deeper there. he paused, as if he wanted to say more, but instead, he simply turned away, continuing to clear the table.

the house had quieted down after dinner, the lingering smells of the meal now replaced with the comforting scent of night. you had helped your mother finish up in the kitchen, and after a few more polite exchanges with the guests, you excused yourself, claiming exhaustion from the long journey. your mother had given you a gentle, knowing smile, and your father had patted your shoulder, telling you to rest well. but even as you ascended the stairs, the house settling into a comfortable stillness, your thoughts were far from calm.

in your room, you began your nightly routine, each action methodical and deliberate, as if going through the motions might settle the unease in your chest. you pulled on a shirt—a soft, oversized one that hung loosely on your frame, the hem brushing against the tops of your thighs. it was one of those shirts that felt like a second skin, comforting in its familiarity. you paired it with a simple set of panties, the cool fabric brushing against your skin. the choice was practical, a blend of comfort and modesty, yet there was something almost intimate about it, a reminder of the solitude of the night.

you glanced at yourself in the mirror, the reflection showing a woman who should have been ready for sleep. but instead, your thoughts were restless, wandering to places you couldn’t quite control. you climbed into bed, the cool sheets welcoming against your warm skin, but the moment your head hit the pillow, you knew sleep would not come easily. there was something tugging at you, an inexplicable pull that you couldn’t ignore. it started as a whisper at the back of your mind, an insistent urge that grew louder with each passing moment. you told yourself it was foolish, that you should simply close your eyes and rest, but the more you tried to ignore it, the stronger the feeling became.

before you knew it, you were slipping out of bed, your bare feet silent against the wooden floor as you made your way out of your room. the house was dark, save for the faint moonlight streaming through the windows, casting long, pale shadows along the hallway. you moved quietly, the soft rustling of your shirt the only sound as you padded down the corridor, your heart beating steadily in your chest. you paused outside yoongi’s room, the door slightly ajar, a sliver of warm light spilling out into the hall. you could hear him inside, the soft rustle of fabric, the quiet sound of his movements. you knew you shouldn’t be here, that you should turn around and go back to bed, but something kept you rooted to the spot.

you peered through the gap in the door, your breath catching in your throat at the sight that greeted you. yoongi was standing by the bed, his back to you, shirtless. his skin was pale, almost glowing in the soft light, his muscles defined yet subtle, the kind of physique that spoke of quiet strength. his shoulders were broad, tapering down to a narrow waist, and as he reached for a shirt, you couldn’t help but admire the way his biceps flexed, the smooth lines of his back. you knew it was wrong to look, but you couldn’t tear your eyes away, your gaze drawn to the way the muscles in his back moved as he pulled the shirt over his head.

it was only when he turned around, his eyes locking with yours, that you realized you had been caught. your breath hitched, a wave of heat flooding your face as you stumbled over your words, flustered and embarrassed. “i—i’m sorry,” you stammered, your voice barely above a whisper, “i didn’t mean to—” but he just smiled, that familiar, soft smile that you had seen countless times before. it was a smile that was both understanding and amused, as if he found your embarrassment endearing rather than intrusive. “it’s alright,” he said gently, his voice low and soothing. “you don’t have to apologize.”

you hesitated for a moment, still caught in the awkwardness of the situation, but then you found your voice again. “i just wanted to wish you a good night,” you said, your tone earnest, though your heart was still pounding in your chest. his smile widened, a hint of warmth in his eyes as he replied, “good night to you too.” there was a moment of silence, the air between you thick with something unspoken, and then you nodded, offering him a small, shy smile before turning to leave. as you walked away, you could feel his gaze on you, the weight of it sending a shiver down your spine.

when you returned to your room, the sense of restlessness had faded, replaced by a strange, warm feeling that you couldn’t quite explain. you slipped back into bed, pulling the sheets up around you, but this time, your thoughts were quieter, your mind slowly drifting towards sleep. in the room down the hall, yoongi stood for a moment, his mind replaying the brief exchange. he chuckled softly to himself, shaking his head. no matter how much time had passed, no matter how much you had grown and changed, to him, you were still that sweet, flustered angel—the same girl he had known all those years ago.

yoongi lay in the oppressive stillness of his room, his mind a tempest of conflicting emotions. the darkness enveloped him, offering no comfort, only amplifying the storm within. every attempt to find solace was met with the image of you in that absurdly tight white dress, an image that had seared itself into his consciousness with unforgiving clarity.

the sight of you—no longer the innocent child he once knew but a vision of such tantalizing allure—it was no shock when his hand found its way to his clothed dick, a silent admission of the battle he was losing. he began to stroke himself tentatively, the fabric of his boxers a barrier that only served to heighten the anticipation. his mind was a minefield of guilt and desire, each step he took towards release laden with the weight of his transgressions. he knew he should stop, that he should find some semblance of dignity and self-control, but his body was a traitor, demanding release from the prison of his own making.

his strokes grew more deliberate with his boxers gone, the friction increasing as he thought of what it would be like to touch you, to explore the softness of your skin and the heat that he was sure lay beneath. he bit his lip, trying to muffle the sounds of his own pleasure, his eyes fixed on the door that separated you from his indecent thoughts. the knowledge that you were so close only served to exacerbate his arousal, making his hand move faster and with more urgency.

his breath hitched as he imagined the moment of penetration, his cock pushing into you, feeling the warmth and wetness that was so alien to his usual solitary rituals. his hand was a poor substitute, but in the quiet of the night, it was all he had. the tension grew, a coil tightening in his balls, and he knew he was close. his thoughts grew more fervent, his strokes more frantic, until finally, with a silent groan, he reached climax.

his hand was sticky with his own release, a reminder of his failure to resist temptation. the guilt washed over him like a cold shower, leaving him trembling and ashamed. he knew he should clean up, should move on from this moment of weakness, but instead he lay there, panting and disgraced, the image of you still etched into his mind's eye. the quiet of the night was now a taunting silence, a reminder that he was alone in his depravity.

you awoke to the soft murmur of the morning light filtering through the curtains, its gentle embrace coaxing you from the depths of sleep. as you stretched languidly, you felt a sense of calm that made you smile. rising from your bed, you ribbed your eyes and padded softly down the stairs. the house was quiet, save for the faint, rhythmic ticking of a distant clock. it was a serene morning, perfect for easing into the day.

when you reached the kitchen, yoongi was already there, sitting at the table with a distracted air. his posture was rigid, and there was a certain tension in his demeanor that you couldn’t quite place. the moment you entered the room, his eyes flickered up toward you briefly before darting away. despite his efforts to look elsewhere, his gaze betrayed him, lingering far too long on your bare legs, which were still exposed, to his dismay. “good morning,” you said cheerfully, trying to set a light tone for the day. your voice was like a splash of warmth in the chilly air of the kitchen.

yoongi’s response was almost a whisper, a bare acknowledgment of your greeting. “morning.” you moved toward the coffee maker, the comforting routine of preparing breakfast a welcome distraction. “you want some coffee?” you asked, glancing over your shoulder at him. “yeah, that’d be great,” he replied, his voice carrying a hint of gratitude, though it was laced with an awkwardness that made you wonder about his mood.

as you busied yourself with the coffee, you noticed the kitchen was unusually empty. your parents were absent, a fact that piqued your curiosity. “where are my parents?” you inquired, your voice carrying a note of concern. yoongi shifted slightly, as if the question had pulled him from his own thoughts. “they’re out for the day,” he said, his gaze now firmly fixed on the table, avoiding meeting your eyes.

you nodded, accepting his answer without further question. the rhythmic sound of the coffee machine filled the silence as you went about your task. when you reached for the sugar, you bent over to retrieve it from the cabinet. the movement was casual, a natural part of your routine, but you were acutely aware of yoongi’s intense gaze. the breath caught in his throat was audible, a sharp intake of air that seemed to punctuate the otherwise silent kitchen. he watched the way your shirt rose, faltering just above your hips, giving him a view of your thighs pressed together, ass hanging in the air with nothing but a pair of stupidly red panties adorning your skin.

it struck you then that yoongi’s reaction was more than mere surprise. it was as if he was struggling to maintain composure, as though he thought you were doing this deliberately to tease him. but you weren’t aware of any such intent; it was simply the way you moved. you straightened up with the sugar and continued preparing the coffee. when you finally handed him his cup, his eyes met yours for a fleeting moment. despite the lack of makeup, you felt a surge of confidence in his presence. his eyes softened, and there was a fleeting, almost imperceptible smile that tugged at his lips as he took the cup from you.

he cleared his throat, his voice tentative as he ventured into a new topic. “so, i’ve been meaning to ask about your writing. you seemed hesitant to talk about it last night.” you chuckled softly, the sound light and airy. “my writing is a product of all my worst parts,” you said with a shrug, attempting to downplay its significance.

yoongi’s eyebrows knitted together, a look of disbelief crossing his face. “i don’t believe you have any bad parts,” he said earnestly, his eyes searching yours for a hint of the truth. you shook your head, a small smile playing on your lips. “you’d be surprised,” you replied. “there are things that even the closest people don’t see.”

his expression softened, and for a moment, the tension in the room seemed to ease. you felt a familiar sense of safety in his presence, as if no time had passed since the days when you had felt so secure in his company. the familiarity of his presence, combined with the casual conversation, made you feel as though the world outside had paused just for the two of you.

you prepared for a day by the pool with a casual elegance, slipping into a bikini that showcased your figure with a subtle confidence. over it, you draped a sheer cover—a delicate, airy jacket that fluttered with every movement, its only purpose to add a touch of grace rather than offer any real coverage. the fabric was almost ethereal, catching the sunlight with each step you took, giving you an otherworldly aura.

descending the stairs, you made your way back to the living room, where you spotted yoongi. the moment you entered his line of sight, he looked up, and the breath caught in his throat. his eyes widened, a visible shift in his demeanor as he took in the sight of you. his heart seemed to drop, overwhelmed by the sight of you in your swimwear, the sheer cover highlighting your figure in a way that was both mesmerizing and painfully distracting.

with a cheerful smile, you called out to him, “hey, i’m gonna be by the pool. if you need anything, i’ll be around.” he nodded, his response barely audible, as if his mind was struggling to catch up with the reality of the moment. there was a heavy silence between you, filled with unspoken tension, as you turned and made your way outside.

once by the pool, you settled into a lounge chair, stretching out and letting the warmth of the sun envelop you. the heat should have been palpable, but your thoughts were consumed by yoongi. the sun’s rays might have been intense, but they barely registered in your consciousness compared to the whirlwind of thoughts about him. your mind drifted, replaying moments with him, the sound of his voice, the way he looked at you.

the quiet of the morning was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. you turned your head, squinting against the sunlight to see yoongi emerging from the house. he was shirtless, the warmth of the sun glistening off his skin. in each hand, he carried a glass—one for him and one for you. you couldn’t help but gulp at the sight of him, the way his physique was revealed in the sunlight adding a new layer of intensity to your already tangled feelings.

he reached you and offered one of the glasses with a slight, nervous smile. “i brought you something to drink. vodka lemonade.” you accepted the glass with a grateful smile, the cool drink a welcome relief from the heat. “thank you,” you said, taking a sip and savoring the refreshing taste.

he sat down beside you, his own drink in hand. there was a hesitant chuckle in his voice as he remarked, “i can’t believe i’m watching you drink. it’s kind of surreal.” you laughed softly, the sound light and airy. “i’m not a little girl anymore,” you said, glancing at him with a playful glint in your eye. “can you believe it?”

yoongi’s laughter was nervous, a strained attempt at casualness. “yeah, i can,” he replied, though the lie was almost tangible in the way he avoided your gaze. oh, if only you had known just how deeply his words conflicted with his inner reality. the poolside atmosphere was serene, the gentle ripples of the water reflecting the sunlight and adding a soothing background to your conversation. you sipped your drink, feeling the cool liquid contrast pleasantly with the warmth of the sun on your skin. yoongi sat close beside you, the space between you charged with an undercurrent of unresolved tension.

the heat of the sun was almost unbearable, and you found yourself shifting restlessly on the lounge chair. the coolness of the vodka lemonade was not enough to quell the growing discomfort you felt. it wasn’t merely the oppressive heat that was troubling you; there was an unsettling awareness that you had developed feelings for yoongi, and it was all too complicated. you knew it was wrong, knew you shouldn’t feel this way, but the truth was undeniable.

rising from the lounge chair, you decided to seek refuge in the kitchen. the cool interior of the house was a welcome relief from the sweltering heat outside. you carried both glasses with you, their contents now barely touching the bottom of the tumblers. as you walked through the house, you could feel the tension in your steps, an eagerness to escape your own thoughts and the weight of your emotions.

once in the kitchen, you set the glasses down and grabbed the bottle of vodka and the jug of lemonade. the motion of pouring the vodka into the lemonade, the swirl of the liquid mixing together, was almost meditative. yet, the comfort of the routine did little to ease the restlessness simmering within you. in an effort to cool off, you discarded your sheer cover, letting it fall onto a nearby chair. the fabric slid off your shoulders and pooled on the seat, leaving you in your bikini once more.

the heat of the kitchen seemed to intensify as you stirred the drink, but it wasn't just the temperature that was making you sweat. you were grappling with the undeniable reality that you had feelings for yoongi—feelings that were supposed to be off-limits. the conflict inside you was almost as unbearable as the heat itself. he was quite literally your father's best friend, you had to keep repeating that to yourself, praying for some sort of voice of reason.

just as you were lost in thought, the sound of footsteps alerted you to yoongi’s presence. you turned to find him standing at the kitchen entrance, his eyes fixed on you. for a moment, time seemed to freeze. your heart leaped in your chest, each beat echoing the tumult of emotions that had been swirling within you. you cleared your throat, trying to keep your voice steady. “are you okay?” you asked, the words slipping out with a hint of vulnerability.

his gaze was intense, almost pained as he took a step closer. he shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving yours. “how can i be okay?” he asked, his voice heavy with emotion. “with you like this around me, for the next month?” the words hung between you, charged with a tension that neither of you seemed able to escape. Your heart pounded as you processed the implication of his statement. it was clear now—he was feeling the same struggle, the same undeniable pull that you were.

you pressed your lips together, trying to find the right words. “i can’t handle it either,” you admitted quietly, the weight of your own confession settling over you. “but it feels so wrong.” to your surprise, yoongi closed the distance between you in a few swift strides. his hands reached out, gripping your waist with a firmness that was both reassuring and electrifying. his gaze was locked onto yours, filled with a blend of longing and resolve.

without another word, he pressed his lips against yours. the kiss was sudden, a powerful surge of emotion that seemed to silence every other thought in your mind. his touch was both demanding and tender, his lips moving with a desperate intensity that spoke volumes. when he finally pulled back, his eyes searched yours with an almost anxious urgency. “does it still feel wrong?” he asked, his voice a low, husky murmur.

the question hung in the air, and without thinking, you responded by closing the space between you again. you pressed your lips against his, this time with a fierceness that matched the tumult of your feelings. the kiss was fervent, each movement a declaration of the emotions that had been kept in check for far too long.

his hands began to roam, exploring the curves of your body, lingering on your breasts. the feeling of his rough fingers against your sensitive skin made you gasp into his mouth. yoongi took advantage of the opportunity, deepening the kiss, his tongue sliding against yours. you could feel the hunger in his touch, the need that mirrored your own.

his thumbs grazed your nipples, eliciting a moan from your throat. the sound seemed to drive him wild, and his touch grew more insistent. he pinched and rolled your nipples, sending bolts of pleasure straight to your core. your pussy grew wetter with each touch, and you found yourself grinding against his thigh, seeking relief from the growing ache.

his hands slid down to your waist, then under the fabric of your bikini bottom. with a swift motion, he pulled it aside, exposing your wet, eager pussy to the cool kitchen air. the contrast made you shiver, and you felt his cock harden against your stomach. the reality of what was happening was overwhelming, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. all that mattered was the feel of his hands on you, the taste of him, the promise of what was to come.

you broke the kiss, panting. “right here?” you whispered, your voice hoarse with desire. yoongi nodded, his eyes dark with lust. “right here, right now,” he confirmed, his voice a gruff whisper. he stepped back, guiding you towards the kitchen counter. “i need to taste you,” he said, his gaze dropping to your pussy.

his words sent a thrill through you, and you eagerly climbed onto the counter. your legs parted, and he stepped between them, his eyes feasting on the sight before him. you watched as he leaned in, his breath hot against your skin. then, his tongue touched you. the sensation was exquisite, sending shockwaves through your body. you grabbed onto the edge of the counter, your knuckles turning white as you held on for dear life.

his tongue swirled around your clit, flicking and probing, as his fingers delved deeper into your pussy. you could feel yourself getting closer to the edge, your body tightening in anticipation. the air was thick with the scent of your arousal, and your moans filled the kitchen. it was all so wrong, but it felt so incredibly right.

his eyes met yours, and you could see the hunger in them, the desire to claim you in every way possible. without a second thought, you leaned back, exposing your throat. “choke me,” you begged, the words slipping out on a breathless whisper. yoongi’s eyes flared with surprise, but he didn’t hesitate. his hand wrapped around your throat, applying just the right amount of pressure to make you feel both safe and utterly vulnerable.

his mouth returned to your pussy, his tongue working in tandem with his fingers. the feeling of his hand on your throat, the way he controlled your breathing, was intoxicating. your orgasm built, wave upon wave of pleasure crashing over you. and when it finally hit, it was like nothing you had ever felt before—intense, all-consuming, and absolutely filthy.

his mouth remained on you, even as you gasped for air, his tongue lapping up every drop of your release. when he finally pulled away, his eyes were gleaming with satisfaction. “you gonna help me out, too?” he murmured, his voice low and seductive. “gonna suck my cock like it’s the last thing you’ll ever do?”

you slid off the counter, your legs wobbly from the intensity of your climax. dropping to your knees, you looked up at him, his cock standing proud and hard before you. without hesitation, you took him in your mouth, the taste of your juices mingling with the salty tang of his skin. his hand found its way to the back of your head, guiding you deeper. “fuck, princess, just like that,” he hissed, his grip tightening. you could feel his cock thicken in your mouth, and the power of the moment was exhilarating. you sucked and licked, eager to please him, to show him how much you wanted this.

his hips began to rock, fucking your mouth with an increasing urgency, his head embracing the back of your throat. you didn't care, you had all the reasons in the world to stop and set boundaries, but even more not too. he pulled at your hair, grunting with his heavy cock splitting your throat open. he looked down at you, your teary eyes and puffy lips, and it only made it worse for him, his cock throbbing in your mouth, but he couldn't cum like that. he needed to feel you, to tear you apart, to ensure that you'd never look for that kind of control from any other boy. nobody but him, he was the perfect pick. you needed somebody just a little bit older.

his cock slipped out of your mouth with a wet pop, and before you could even gasp for air, he turned you around, pressing you against the counter. his hand found its way into your bikini again, two thick fingers plunging into your pussy. you felt yourself stretch around him, your body begging for more. “you're soaked,” he murmured, his voice filled with a dark kind of glee. “you're gonna be the death of me.” you pushed back against his hand, wanting him to go deeper, to fill the ache that had only been heightened by his touch. “please,” you moaned, the word barely coherent as it slipped from your lips. “i need you.”

yoongi stepped closer, his body pressing against your back. “you're gonna get me,” he promised, his voice gruff with desire. he removed his fingers and lined up his cock, pressing the head against your entrance. he hadn't even pushed past your sopping folds yet, and you were already a mess. you felt him enter you, inch by inch, stretching you out. it was painful and perfect all at once, his girth splitting you open, filling you up in a way that made you feel so full, so alive. you bit your lip to stifle a scream as he pushed deeper, until he was fully seated inside you. your pussy clenched around him, desperate to keep him there, to never let him go.

his hand returned to your throat, squeezing gently as he began to move. the counter was cold against your stomach, but you didn't care. all you could focus on was the way he filled you, the way his cock slammed into you with each powerful thrust. his other hand snaked around your body, playing with your clit, sending sparks of pleasure shooting through you.

his grip tightened on your throat, cutting off your air. you felt the panic rise, but it only made you wetter. “you like that, don't you?” he whispered into your ear, his breath hot against your neck. “you like being choked while i fuck you?” your eyes rolled back in your head, and you nodded frantically. it was sick, it was twisted, but you didn't care. it felt too good to think about stopping.

his strokes grew faster, more erratic, his breathing ragged in your ear. “i'm gonna cum," he warned, his voice strained. “where do you want it?” you choked out the words, “inside me,” and he growled his approval. with one final, powerful thrust, he released his grip on your throat, and you felt his warmth flood into you. your body convulsed around him, your own orgasm ripping through you with a ferocity that left you trembling.

his cock remained buried inside you as he leaned over, pressing his sweat-slicked chest against your back. “all mine,” he murmured, his voice thick with satisfaction. “mine to fuck, to fill up with my cum.” your pussy clenched around him, milking every drop he had to give. the thought of his cum inside you, claiming you, made your core throb with a deep, primal need.

his cock slid out of you, and you felt the emptiness acutely. but before you could protest, he was pushing his cum-soaked fingers into your mouth. “have a taste,” he demanded, and you eagerly complied. the taste was salty and bitter, but it only served to drive you wild. your eyes watered as you sucked on his digits, cleaning them thoroughly.

he pulled away, his fingers tugging your bikini bottom up, the fabric pushing his sticky cum further into your sore cunt. “keep it in,” he ordered, his eyes dark and possessive. “i don't want my cum to spill out of that tight little cunt.” you nodded, standing on shaky legs. he reached out, grabbing your chin and tilting your face up to his. “good girl,” he praised, his eyes searching yours.

you stepped away from the counter, the stickiness between your legs a constant reminder of what had just happened. your bikini was askew, and your body was still flushed with arousal. yoongi reached out, gently adjusting your bottoms to cover your swollen pussy. “don't tell anyone,” he whispered, his eyes serious. “this is our little secret.” you nodded, your throat tight with the promise of more to come. the air was thick with the scent of sex, and the kitchen felt different now—like a sacred space where you had both lost and found something in the heat of passion. “i won't,” you murmured, your voice hoarse. “but what happens now?”

yoongi leaned in, his lips brushing against your ear. “now,” he said, his voice a low rumble, “we do this again, and again. until we can't get enough of each other.” his hand slid down to cup your ass, squeezing it possessively. “you're mine, and i have no intention of letting you go.” the words sent a shiver down your spine, a mix of excitement and fear. you knew this was wrong, knew that it could ruin everything, but the feeling of his cum inside you, his claim on your body, was too tempting to resist. you were in too deep, and you had no intention of climbing out

the hours stretched interminably, the passage of time marked only by the shifting light that filtered through the windows. you found yourself drifting between contemplation and restlessness, your thoughts endlessly circling the intimacy you had shared with yoongi. the weight of the moment, the raw intensity of the sex, seemed to press down on you with an almost unbearable gravity.

you had retreated to your room, seeking solace in its familiar confines. the bed, once a place of comfort, now felt like a vessel of confusion and regret. you lay there, staring at the ceiling, the room around you bathed in the soft glow of late afternoon sunlight. your mind was a turbulent sea, tossing around memories of the kiss, the touch of his hands on your waist, and the conflicted look in his eyes. the sex, though fleeting, had been a revelation, an unspoken admission of what lay between you, and the enormity of it was daunting.

every time you closed your eyes, his face would appear, his gaze filled with a mixture of longing and anguish. the guilt that gnawed at you was mirrored by his own struggle. you had noticed it earlier when he had walked away from the kitchen, his shoulders slumped and his expression a portrait of internal conflict. it was clear that he was grappling with the same turmoil that had taken root within you.

the silence of the room was occasionally broken by the vibrations of your phone. the pings were a jarring intrusion into your contemplation, each one a reminder of the world outside your cocoon of worry. finally, when you reached for your phone, you found a message from taehyung, a friend whose exuberance was a contrast to the somber mood you were engulfed in. it read, “hey! i heard you’re back in daegu. i’m at the club tonight, and it’s been a while. you should come out and join me.”

the simplicity of taehyung’s invitation, the promise of an evening away from your internal strife, was like a breath of fresh air. it was exactly what you needed to escape the relentless spiral of guilt and self-reproach that had been consuming you. the thought of a night at the club, surrounded by friends and lost in the rhythm of music, was a welcome distraction, a way to momentarily forget the weight of your decisions and the confusion surrounding your feelings for yoongi.

without hesitation, you texted him back, accepting his invitation with a mix of relief and eagerness. the prospect of spending a night out, dancing and socializing, offered a tangible remedy to the unease that had settled so heavily upon you. in the privacy of your room, you stood in front of the mirror, preparing for a night out at the club. you had carefully chosen an outfit that was both stylish and expressive of your current mood—a sleek, black dress with a daring neckline that accentuated your figure, paired with heels that added just the right amount of allure. the dress clung to your curves in a way that felt both confident and liberating, each movement highlighting the grace you carried with you.

you applied your makeup with a meticulous touch, opting for a smoky eye that added a touch of glamour, and a bold lip color that completed the look. each brushstroke was a deliberate effort to transform yourself into someone who could temporarily escape the heaviness of recent days. the final touch was a pair of sparkling earrings that caught the light as you moved, completing your ensemble with a flourish.

as you finished getting ready, you heard the faint sounds of yoongi moving about in his room across the hall. you knew he was there, but the emotional weight of your recent interactions had kept you from directly addressing him. yonight was about reclaiming a sense of normalcy and fun, and the club seemed like the perfect escape. as you prepared to leave, you crossed the hall to grab a quick look at your reflection in the full-length mirror one last time. just as you turned, yoongi’s door opened slightly. he stepped into the hallway, his eyes widening in surprise as they took in the sight of you.

“where are you off to?” he asked, his voice carrying a note of curiosity mingled with an undertone of something else—something darker. you flashed him a bright, carefree smile, trying to inject a sense of lightness into the conversation. “taehyung is taking me to a club tonight,” you said, your voice cheerful despite the undercurrent of unease you felt.

his reaction was immediate. a flicker of frustration crossed his face, but he quickly masked it with a strained smile. “okay,” he replied, his voice barely concealing the tension that simmered beneath his words. “have a good time.” you nodded, feeling a pang of guilt at his subdued reaction, but the promise of a night out with friends was too alluring to ignore. you offered a final smile before turning and walking down the stairs, the click of your heels echoing in the quiet house.

as you stepped outside, the cool night air greeted you with a refreshing contrast to the warm interior. taehyung was waiting by his car, his face lighting up with a friendly grin as he saw you approach. he stepped out of the vehicle, and the two of you exchanged a warm hug. his arms encircled you in a friendly embrace, his laughter ringing out as he playfully commented on how good you looked.

from the window, yoongi watched the scene unfold with a growing sense of unease. he saw the way taehyung looked at you, the way his eyes lingered on you with an admiration that seemed to cut through the night’s darkness. the casual familiarity of your hug, the easy way taehyung interacted with you, ignited a smoldering frustration within yoongi. he clenched his fists, trying to suppress the bubbling anger that rose within him. it wasn’t just the sight of you with someone else—it was the way taehyung’s gaze seemed to hold a mixture of affection and possessiveness that yoongi found almost unbearable. every movement, every gesture, seemed to etch itself into his memory with a burning intensity.

as you and taehyung got into the car and drove away, yoongi’s eyes remained fixed on the scene. the darkness of the night and the dim streetlights cast long shadows, but his thoughts were sharp and clear. the image of taehyung’s hug, the warmth and ease between the two of you, was seared into his mind, adding fuel to the smoldering frustration that had taken root within him.

the club was a pulsating whirl of neon lights and thumping bass, the energy of the crowd vibrating through the floor and into your very bones. the air was thick with the mingling scents of perfume and sweat, and the faint haze of smoke from the fog machines created an almost dreamlike atmosphere. music reverberated through every corner, a relentless beat that drove the rhythm of the night.

you and taehyung arrived to a warm welcome from the crowd, who greeted you with a mix of admiration and excitement. the club’s patrons had clearly heard of your return to daegu, and you were immediately swept up in the buzz of their enthusiasm. as you made your way through the throng of bodies, taehyung by your side, you found yourself caught in a whirlwind of flashing lights and lively chatter.

at the bar, you signed another autograph, your signature fluid and practiced as you scrawled your name on a series of glossy photos and memorabilia. taehyung stood beside you, his laughter a comforting sound amid the chaos. “i’ll never get used to this,” he said, shaking his head with a grin. his eyes sparkled with a mix of amusement and curiosity. you chuckled softly, the sound almost lost amidst the cacophony of the club. “neither will i,” you admitted, your voice tinged with a hint of melancholy. the constant attention, the flashes of cameras, it all felt a bit surreal, a reminder of the world you had momentarily stepped away from.

his expression softened as he glanced at you, noticing the subtle change in your demeanor. “why so down?” he asked, his tone gentle but inquisitive. you hesitated for a moment, the weight of your recent experiences heavy on your shoulders. “it’s a long story,” you replied, not willing to delve into the complexities of your emotions right now.

his eyes showed a glimmer of understanding, and he didn’t press further. instead, he placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder. “well, don’t let it ruin tonight. you’re here to have fun, remember? just let go and enjoy yourself for once.” his encouragement was a lifeline, and you took it to heart. you smiled at him, gratitude mingling with the resolve to let the night’s energy lift you from your thoughts. “okay,” you said, taking a deep breath. “let’s do this.”

the two of you moved towards the dance floor, the pulsating rhythm of the music beckoning you closer. as you stepped onto the floor, the crowd seemed to part and then close around you, a living sea of people moving in sync with the beat. he slipped into the rhythm effortlessly, his movements fluid and confident. you followed his lead, allowing the music to wash over you and carry away the remnants of your lingering worries.

the lights above shifted in a kaleidoscope of colors, casting dynamic patterns across the dance floor. you lost yourself in the beat, your body swaying and twisting in time with the music. the beats were relentless, and as you danced, you felt the strain of the day’s emotions slowly dissolve, replaced by the exhilaration of the moment. the music seemed to resonate with something deep inside you, a reminder of the joy and freedom that had once been so familiar.

you occasionally glanced at taehyung, who was clearly having a blast. his infectious energy was a bright spot in the evening, and his carefree dancing seemed to pull you further into the night’s festivities. every now and then, he would catch your eye and flash a grin, as if to say, “see? isn’t this fun?”

as the night wore on, you took a break from dancing to grab a drink. the bar was bustling with activity, and the bartender quickly mixed a vibrant cocktail that was both refreshing and potent. you sipped the drink, feeling its coolness slide down your throat, and let the alcohol take the edge off your remaining anxieties. the conversation around you was a pleasant hum, and you found yourself engaging in light, cheerful banter with a few fellow partygoers.

every once in a while, you would catch sight of taehyung making his way through the crowd, often surrounded by a small group of admirers. his laughter and charisma were magnetic, drawing people in and creating an atmosphere of shared joy. you were grateful for his presence, his ability to make the night feel lighter and more enjoyable.

the night continued in a blur of music, dancing, and shared moments of joy. you felt a renewed sense of connection with taehyung and the people around you, a reminder that even amidst personal turmoil, there was still space for fun and camaraderie. as the hours passed and the club’s lights began to dim, signaling the approach of closing time, you felt a sense of contentment.

stepping outside into the cool night air, you took a deep breath, savoring the contrast between the heated club and the refreshing outside air. he stood beside you, his expression one of satisfaction and camaraderie. “see? that wasn’t so bad,” he said, nudging you playfully. you smiled, feeling a genuine sense of relief. “thanks for getting me out tonight,” you said. “i needed this.”

his grin widened. “anytime. let’s just make sure you don’t stay cooped up forever. there’s a lot more fun to be had.” as you both made your way to the car, the night felt lighter, and the burdens of the past few days seemed a little more manageable. the club had provided the distraction you needed, and as you drove away with taehyung, you allowed yourself to savor the fleeting moments of carefree joy that the night had offered.

in the stillness of the living room, the ticking of the clock seemed to echo louder with each passing second. yoongi sat slouched on the sofa, the dim light from the table lamp casting shadows across his face. his fingers fumbled with a can of beer, the metallic crumple of the empty container a testament to his mounting frustration. it was two in the morning, and you still hadn't come home. the silence of the house was oppressive, amplifying his anxiety and gnawing at his thoughts.

had something happened to you? had a stranger taken you for the night? the possibilities raced through his mind, each one more unsettling than the last. the quietness of the house was occasionally interrupted by the distant hum of the refrigerator or the soft rustle of the curtains, but these sounds did little to soothe his growing unease.

he watched the second hand of the clock tick away, each movement a reminder of the time slipping by. his fingers drummed impatiently against his knee, and the empty beer cans scattered on the table beside him were a reminder of how long he’d been waiting. the weight of his concern grew heavier with each passing minute, turning into an almost unbearable pressure.

finally, a sound broke through the silence—the unmistakable click of the front door opening. yoongi’s head snapped up, his heart racing with a mixture of relief and frustration. he watched as you stumbled into the living room, your movements unsteady and your eyes slightly glazed. the sight of you brought a wave of relief, but it was quickly overshadowed by a surge of anger.

you wobbled slightly as you approached him, your gaze softening as you took in his presence. with a tired but genuine smile, you wrapped your arms around his neck, leaning into him. “i missed you,” you murmured, your voice thick with the effects of too many martinis. he let out a low chuckle, his amusement tinged with exasperation. “you smell like alcohol,” he observed, his tone more resigned than accusatory.

you frowned slightly and gestured towards the table where the empty beer cans lay. “and you’re no better,” you retorted, a playful edge to your words despite your unsteady stance. he raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “what were you doing at the club for so long?” he asked, his tone more serious now.

you shrugged, your arms still draped around his neck. “having fun,” you replied, a hint of mischief in your voice. he scoffed, a small smile playing on his lips. “with who?” he demanded, his tone edged with a hint of jealousy.

you grinned, a contented sigh escaping your lips. “with taehyung,” you said, the name rolling off your tongue with an affectionate lilt. his expression shifted, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed the information. to your surprise, he reached out and gently lifted you up, placing you onto his lap. the movement was deliberate, his hold firm but gentle as he settled you comfortably. “with taehyung, huh?” he said, his voice low and contemplative as he looked at you.

you nodded shyly, your hands pressing against his chest for balance. “yeah,” you said softly, feeling the warmth of his body against yours. his gaze lingered on you, a conflicted mix of emotions evident in his eyes. “you two must be pretty close, huh?” he asked, his voice carrying a hint of possessiveness.

you nodded again, feeling the intensity of his stare. “we’re friends,” you said, your voice steady despite the lingering effects of the alcohol. his eyes darkened slightly, his frustration evident. “i don’t like that,” he said, his tone firm and resolute.

you tilted your head slightly, leaning into his touch as you pressed closer to him. “why not?” you asked, your voice soft and inquisitive. his hand slipped to the back of your neck, his fingers brushing gently against your skin. “friends who look at you the way he does,” he said, his voice a low whisper that sent a shiver down your spine. he paused, his lips brushing against your neck as he continued, “make my blood boil.”

your eyes fluttered shut at his touch, the warmth of his breath mingling with the softness of his lips. the sensation was intoxicating, drawing you closer to him. without further hesitation, yoongi closed the distance between you, his lips capturing yours in a passionate kiss. the kiss was both urgent and tender, a mixture of the longing and frustration that had been building between you. his arms encircled you, pulling you even closer as the world outside seemed to fade away.

the kiss deepened, his fingers tangling in your hair as he explored the softness of your lips. it was a moment of pure connection, a release of the emotions that had been pent up for too long. the intensity of his touch, the warmth of his embrace, made you feel as though nothing else mattered in that moment.

his hand slid down to the small of your back, his grip tightening as he pulled you onto his lap. the fabric of your black dress was thin, offering little resistance to his touch. you could feel his arousal pressing against your thigh, a silent declaration of his desire. your breath hitched in your throat as his hand moved higher, cupping your breast through the material. your nipples were already hard, begging for his attention.

without breaking the kiss, yoongi reached down and began to tug at the hem of your dress. the sound of fabric ripping filled the room as he pulled it up over your head, leaving you in just your lacy black lingerie. the sight of you half-dressed was almost too much for him to handle. his eyes raked over your body, taking in every inch of your exposed skin. his hands roamed over your curves, his fingers tracing the lace of your panties. as he pulled them down, he caught a glimpse of the cum stain from earlier, a pleasant reminder of what he had done. his eyes flashed with possessive lust as he took in the sight of his dry cum on the fabric. “took it like such a good girl,” he growled, his voice thick with desire.

his hands found your hips, guiding you onto his waiting erection. the sensation of skin on skin was electrifying, sending shockwaves of pleasure through your body. he was rougher this time, his movements urgent and demanding. with each thrust, he slapped your pussy, the sound echoing in the quiet room. the stinging sensation only served to heighten your arousal, making you moan louder with each hit.

his hands gripped your waist, his hips moving in a steady rhythm that had you riding him like a wave. the feeling of his cock filling you up was almost too much to bear, but you craved more. your nails dug into his shoulders, leaving little half-moons in his skin as you leaned back, throwing your head back in ecstasy.

his dirty talk grew more intense, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through your chest. “don’t wanna see you with anymore boys,” he said, his eyes never leaving yours. “they won’t ever get to have you like this.” the words sent a fresh wave of desire through you, your walls tightening around him as you neared climax. his strokes grew more erratic, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he approached his own release. you could feel him swelling inside you, his muscles tensing as he fought to hold back. but you were beyond caring about his control, your own need overwhelming any thought of restraint.

he took sight of the way his cock buried itself in your stomach, the outline evident. it was enoufh to make his dick twitch, he could practically see it happening. finally, with a guttural groan, he let go, filling you with his hot cum. the sensation pushed you over the edge, and you came hard, your body shaking with the force of your orgasm. tears streamed down your face, not from pain, but from the intensity of the pleasure that consumed you. as you collapsed onto his chest, gasping for air, you realized that this was the most alive you had ever felt.

“we need to stop doing this,” you exhaled softly, your cheek pressed against his shoulder. “stop?” he echoed, his voice gruff and surprised.

“it’s complicated enough already,” you murmured, your heart racing from the aftershocks of your climax. his grip on your waist tightened, his cock still pulsing inside you. “i don’t want us to stop,” he said, his voice unyielding. “is it such a crime to want you all to myself?”

his words sent a thrill through you, but also a pang of fear. you knew the consequences of your actions, the web of lies and deceit that would unravel if anyone found out. yet, you couldn’t deny the pull you felt towards him, the way he made you feel alive and desired in a way no one else ever had. you pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the present, the warmth of his embrace, the scent of your mingled arousal, and the sticky mess between your legs. it was a mess you didn’t want to clean up, a mess that was a testament to your shared passion.

his hands began to move again, stroking your body with a gentle fierceness that made your skin tingle. he knew exactly how to touch you, how to make you ache for more. his fingers traced the path of his earlier possession, the cum stain on your panties now a wet smear as he slid his digits through it.

you gasped as he brought his hand up to your face, your own cum glistening on his fingers. before you could protest, he brought them to your mouth and slid them in, urging you to taste. the sweet and salty flavor filled your mouth, and you felt a wave of submission wash over you. his other hand found your clit, his thumb flicking and circling the sensitive nub as he began to thrust into you once more. his cock was still hard, the friction of his earlier release only adding to the intensity of the moment.

you couldn’t help but moan, your eyes fluttering shut as you gave in to the sensations. the room spun around you, your body no longer your own as he claimed you over and over again. it was a rough, animalistic fucking that made you feel more alive than you ever had. his slaps grew more forceful, his words more demanding. “say it,” he ordered, his voice harsh in your ear. “say you’re mine, only mine.”

“yoongi,” you whimpered, your voice barely above a whisper. “i’m yours, only yours.” his pace quickened, his strokes becoming more erratic as he neared his second climax. you could feel his balls tightening, his body coiling like a spring ready to release. with a final, desperate groan, he emptied himself inside you, his cum mixing with your juices.

you collapsed onto him a second time, your body trembling with exhaustion and satisfaction. the room was still, the only sound the harshness of your breathing and the thundering of your hearts. for a moment, it felt like nothing else mattered but the two of you, lost in a sea of passion and desire. but reality would come crashing back soon enough, with the light of day and the harsh truth of your actions. for now, though, you were his, and he was yours, bound by a secret that neither of you could escape.

you sat at your desk, the dim light of your lamp casting a soft glow over the pages of your journal. the room was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of the pages as you turned them, the only sound breaking the silence of your introspective evening. the journal was your refuge, the place where you poured out your grief and unspoken pain, each word a release of the emotions that had been bottled up for too long.

your pen moved across the page in a hurried scrawl, the ink reflecting the depth of your sorrow. you wrote about the ache of missing your old self, the pressure of expectations unmet, and the weight of a future that seemed increasingly uncertain. tears blurred your vision, making the words on the page dance and waver. each tear that fell onto the paper seemed to absorb the rawness of your emotions, the ink smudging as your sorrow seeped into the pages.

you had shared so much with those sheets of paper, details of your grief that had remained unspoken. it was as if the journal was an extension of your heart, a place where your deepest fears and frustrations could find solace. but tonight, the act of writing felt especially cathartic and painful, the tears falling freely as you bared your soul to the empty pages.

the sound of footsteps from downstairs interrupted your solitude. you closed the journal and wiped your eyes hastily, trying to regain composure as you headed towards the staircase. the air downstairs was cooler, and the distant clinking of dishes and murmurs of conversation signaled that your mother was awake.

as you descended the stairs, you saw her seated at the kitchen table, her gaze directed towards the window. yoongi was in the living room, his presence a silent comfort in the midst of the familial tension. you greeted them quietly, your heart heavy with the emotions that you had tried so hard to contain. your mother looked up as you entered the kitchen, her expression unreadable. “how’s work?” she asked, her tone neutral but carrying a hint of concern. “when do you have to go back?”

you took a deep breath, trying to steady your voice. “i’ll be going back after the month passes,” you replied, forcing a calmness that didn’t match the turmoil inside you. she nodded, but there was a shadow of disapproval in her eyes. “i prayed for your success, you know,” she said. “but i wish you had chosen a different path—one that’s more respectable. you could have been a doctor, a lawyer, someone who makes a real difference. instead, you’re just posing for a camera.”

the words struck you like a physical blow, each syllable a reminder of the gap between your aspirations and her expectations. your hands trembled slightly as you gripped the edge of the kitchen counter, your heart aching with the weight of her judgment. “i’m sorry,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper, the apology feeling inadequate in the face of her disapproval. her gaze softened slightly, but the damage was done. the conversation had laid bare the fact that no matter how hard you worked, no matter how much you achieved, your mother’s acceptance was always just out of reach. the realization was a sharp, stinging reminder of the ongoing struggle to reconcile your dreams with her expectations.

without a word, you excused yourself from the room, the weight of the conversation pressing heavily on your shoulders. you moved with a sense of urgency towards the bathroom, needing a moment away from the prying eyes and the crushing disappointment. in the bathroom, the cool, sterile light offered little comfort as you shut the door behind you. you leaned against the sink, your hands shaking as you fumbled with the tap, letting the water run until it became a soothing backdrop to your tears. the tears came freely now, each drop a release of the pain you had been holding inside. the harsh brightness of the bathroom seemed to amplify your emotions, every sob echoing in the stillness of the room.

you closed your eyes tightly, letting the tears flow unabated. the mirror reflected your tear-streaked face, the red-rimmed eyes a testament to the depth of your grief. you took deep, shuddering breaths, trying to calm the storm of emotions that had been stirred up by your mother’s words. the tears were a release, a way of letting go of the pent-up frustration and sadness. as the sobs began to subside, you found solace in the simple act of crying, allowing yourself to feel the weight of your mother’s disapproval and the grief of your own unmet expectations. you knew that the moment of vulnerability was a necessary part of your healing process, a way to confront and process the emotions that had been building up inside you.

yoongi's heart felt heavy with the weight of the earlier conversation. his concern for you had deepened, and he felt an overwhelming urge to understand more about what you were going through. his feet, driven by a mix of worry and compassion, carried him towards your room. the door creaked open slowly, and yoongi stepped into the space that was so intimately yours. the room was bathed in a soft glow from a lamp on your nightstand, its light gently illuminating the walls adorned with photographs. his eyes were immediately drawn to the collection of images, a testament to the life you had lived.

photos of you as a little girl lined one wall, capturing moments of innocence and joy. in some, you were caught in candid laughter, a radiant smile lighting up your face. others showed you at milestones, each image a snapshot of a time before the complexities of adulthood began to weigh heavily on you. yoongi’s chest tightened at the sight, a pang of sorrow stirring in his stomach. it was impossible not to feel the ache of how much you had grown, how far you had come from that wide-eyed child full of dreams.

next to those nostalgic images were more recent photos—of you as you were now, your beauty more striking than ever, yet layered with an undeniable sadness. each photograph seemed to tell a story of its own, a reflection of the woman you had become. his heart ached at the contrast between the vibrant child in the old pictures and the poignant figure in the more recent ones. it was clear that beneath the surface of your radiant exterior lay a deep, unresolved pain.

his gaze was drawn to the desk, where he saw your journal resting atop a pile of neatly stacked papers. he hesitated for a moment, knowing it was a violation of your privacy, but the pull of his concern was stronger. with trembling hands, he opened the journal, its pages warm from the gentle light of the lamp.

the first entry his eyes fell upon was a stark revelation of your inner turmoil, “i want to die, doesn’t everyone?” the words were raw and haunting, a glimpse into the depths of your suffering. yoongi’s breath caught in his throat as he read on, his heart breaking with each line. you had written about sleepless nights, about the emptiness that came with a lack of meals, and the guilt you felt for your suffering despite having what many would envy. the words were a vivid portrait of your struggle, painting a picture of the pain you had carried alone.

further along, you wrote about your mother, your conflicted feelings towards her. despite her love, you had felt her disapproval, her preference for a different path for you. the way you described your feelings of inadequacy, the yearning for acceptance, cut deep into yoongi’s heart. each entry was a window into a world of quiet desperation, a reflection of your most private fears and regrets.

as his eyes scanned the entries, he felt a profound sadness. the weight of your words, the anguish you had poured onto the pages, seemed to press down on him with a crushing force. he was lost in the depth of your pain when he heard the softest of voices behind him. “it’s stupid, isn’t it?” he turned sharply to see you standing in the doorway, a sad smile on your face, the remnants of tears still visible on your cheeks. his heart ached even more seeing you like that, so vulnerable and exposed. he took a step towards you, his face reflecting a mix of anguish and determination.

“nothing you feel could ever be stupid,” he said gently, his voice laden with sincerity. his hand reached out, brushing the tears from your cheeks with a tenderness that spoke volumes. “why didn’t you tell me about this? why didn’t you share any of this with me?” you shrugged, your gaze falling to the floor as if it held the answers you couldn’t articulate. “i always had a feeling i’d never live long,” you murmured, your voice barely audible.

yoongi’s breath caught at your words. the notion that you felt such a finality in your existence was more than he could bear. without thinking, he closed the distance between you, pulling you into a tight embrace. the hug was a physical manifestation of his anguish and his need to offer you comfort. he stiffened as he held you, the weight of your words settling heavily on his shoulders. “never say that again,” he whispered fiercely into your ear, his voice trembling with emotion. “is that really what you want? to leave me alone, to fight it all in silence?”

you clung to him, your tears soaking into his shirt as you cried into his shoulder. “i’d give anything to be the little girl you remember,” you admitted between sobs. “i miss her more than anyone.”

his heart broke at your admission. he pulled back slightly to look into your eyes, his own filled with an earnest intensity. “you should be proud of the woman you’ve become,” he said softly, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions within him. “that little girl would be so proud of you. and no one could be more proud than i am.”

you looked at him, searching his face for any trace of insincerity, but all you found was a deep, unwavering conviction. “you really think so?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. “yes,” he affirmed, his eyes locked onto yours with a warmth that seemed to dispel the shadows of doubt. “she would be proud, but nobody could be as proud as me. you’ve grown into someone incredible, someone who has faced so much and still stands strong.”

in that moment, wrapped in his embrace, you felt a sense of comfort and acceptance that had been elusive for so long. his words, filled with genuine admiration and affection, offered a glimmer of hope amid the lingering darkness. you clung to the promise in his voice, the promise that despite everything, you were valued, you were loved, and you were worthy of pride.

✧.*

a/n: a shorter one lol a dabble if u will

save me (구해줘) - bae joohyun (배주현)

✧.* WC: 54.7K

✧.* SYN: you didn’t know how you ended up in the situation you found yourself in, you didn’t know when you had started loving as hard as you did, nor when she had started hating just as hard. maybe it wasn’t hate, but it wasn’t love. maybe if you were a boy, it would’ve been love.

✧.* 18+

in the quiet moments of life, when the world seemed to blur at the edges and the noise of everyday chaos faded into a distant hum, there was a time when having that one true friend felt like the most profound of blessings. it was as if the universe had conspired to place a beacon of light in the path of your journey, a steadfast flame that illuminated even the darkest of nights. not just a companion, but a reflection of the truest parts of oneself—someone who understood the unspoken language of your soul.

in her presence, there was no need for pretense. the masks worn for the world were cast aside, revealing the raw, unfiltered essence of who you were. she saw you not as a collection of faults and frailties, but as a masterpiece in progress, a soul worthy of love and respect. the beauty of her companionship lay in its unwavering reliability. no matter the storm, no matter the upheaval, she stood by you—a pillar of strength when yours faltered, a reservoir of calm when your heart was in turmoil.

together, you shared the subtle joys of life—the quiet satisfaction of a shared silence, the comfort of knowing glances, the unspoken understanding that words could never fully encapsulate. with her, even the simplest moments took on a golden hue: a walk through a park became an exploration of the world’s wonders, a shared meal transformed into a sacred ritual, and laughter—oh, the laughter!—was a melody that lingered long after the echoes had faded.

in her presence, you found the courage to dream and the strength to pursue those dreams. she believed in you when you struggled to believe in yourself, offering a hand to lift you up, a shoulder to lean on, and a heart that beat in sync with yours. her friendship was not just a connection, but a lifeline—a reminder that even in the vast expanse of existence, you were never truly alone.

looking back, the memory of that friendship was like a warm embrace, a cherished relic of a time when life’s complexities were softened by the simplicity of true companionship. it was a time when you knew, with absolute certainty, that no matter what the future held, you had been blessed to experience the beauty of having a friend—a true friend—by your side.

joohyun had always been your anchor in the storm, the quiet, composed presence that kept you tethered when life felt like it was pulling you in every direction at once. even as children, when your world revolved around scraped knees and backyard adventures, joohyun was the one who kept you grounded. she was the kind of girl who never lost her cool, who knew exactly what she wanted and never wavered in her pursuit of it. you admired her for that.

she was the opposite of you in so many ways. where she was serious and composed, you were carefree, often impulsive. you leapt before you looked, chasing after whatever caught your eye without a second thought. and yet, despite your differences, she never made you feel small or foolish. if anything, she seemed to find your antics amusing, a quiet smile playing on her lips whenever you dragged her into yet another one of your wild schemes. you liked her just the way she was—quiet, steady, always a little bit mysterious. and she didn’t mind you either. you were her sunshine in the rain, a burst of light in her more subdued world.

she was there for you in every sense of the word. when you fell as a child, bruising your knees on the pavement, she would scold you for being careless even as she carefully cleaned your wounds, her touch gentle and sure. it was a ritual between the two of you—your recklessness, her quiet care. she was the one who eased you through the tumultuous years of puberty, when your body and mind seemed at war with each other. she never judged you for the confusion, the frustration that bubbled over in those moments when you didn’t quite know who you were. instead, she listened, her calm presence a balm to your troubled thoughts.

when you came out, stumbling over your words as you tried to explain something you barely understood yourself, she was the one who made it simple. “you’re no different from me,” she had said, her voice steady, her eyes warm with understanding. “we breathe, we eat, we live. why would you be ashamed of your heart?” in that moment, you had never felt more seen, more accepted. it was as though she had lifted a weight from your shoulders, giving you the courage to embrace who you were without fear.

joohyun was always there for you, a constant in a world that was anything but. and even when life took you to the other side of the world, to the states for work, that bond remained unbroken. the physical distance never seemed to matter. you were used to calling her at odd hours, checking in to make sure she was eating properly, that she was taking care of herself. it was a habit born of years of friendship, one that neither of you ever questioned.

but this time, it was different. you were in the middle of a meeting, your mind focused on the endless stream of tasks that came with your job, when your phone buzzed with an incoming call. you didn’t even need to look at the screen to know it was joohyun. she knew your schedule by heart, knew when you were busy and when you were free. that she was calling now, in the middle of your workday, meant something was wrong.

her words, when you answered, were stark, devoid of the usual warmth that colored her voice. “my mother died,” she said, the words falling like stones into the silence between you. there was a pause, a breath where you struggled to process the enormity of what she had just told you. and then, in that same flat tone, she added, “there was a fire.”

the details came in disjointed fragments, each more harrowing than the last. her mother had been alone in the house, a house that joohyun had worked so hard to make a home. she had left the stove on, a simple mistake, and fallen asleep. by the time joohyun returned, there was nothing left. the fire had taken everything, reducing the place she had grown up in, the place where she had cared for her mother, to ashes.

the first thing she did was call you. she didn’t ask you to come, didn’t plead for your help, because she didn’t have to. she knew, with the same certainty that had defined your friendship for all these years, that you would come. you always did when it was for her.

and so, you booked the first flight back to korea, your heart heavy with the knowledge that this time, it was your turn to be her anchor, to be the steady presence that she had always been for you. as the plane took off, you stared out the window, watching the world below grow smaller and smaller, and thought of joohyun, alone in the aftermath of her loss.

you had been apart for so long, each of you building your lives on opposite sides of the world, but none of that mattered now. what mattered was that she needed you, just as you had needed her so many times before. the memory of her voice, so calm and composed even in the face of tragedy, echoed in your mind. you knew that when you saw her, she would still be that same joohyun—serious, composed, always in control. but you also knew that beneath that facade, she was hurting in a way she had never hurt before.

and you would be there for her, just as she had always been there for you. you would stand by her side, through the grief and the pain, through the long nights and the endless days. because that was what friendship meant—being there, no matter what, no matter how much time had passed or how far apart you had been. you would be her sunshine in the rain, once more.

the plane jolted as it touched down, pulling you abruptly from the cascade of thoughts that had been swirling in your mind. you couldn’t quite grasp the exact contents of those thoughts—they were a tangled web of worry, hope, and anticipation—but you knew they all revolved around her. joohyun. how you could help her, what the first step would be, how you would even begin to approach her after six long years apart. the thoughts clung to you like a persistent mist, following you even as you gathered your luggage, your senses taking in the familiar sights and sounds of korea. the country’s beauty was as unyielding as ever, its landscapes and cityscapes a comforting reminder of home.

but then, you saw her. she was standing near the arrival gate, her presence immediately recognizable even from a distance. you noticed her long before she spotted you, and in that instant, all those tangled thoughts seemed to evaporate, replaced by a single, clear realization: korea wasn’t the only thing that had remained beautiful. joohyun had changed in the years you had been apart, yet she was still the same in so many ways.

she had grown taller, taller than you at least, and the once slight frame of the teenager you had known had matured into that of a woman. her black hair framed her face in a way that accentuated her features, and though her expression was as composed and unreadable as ever, you knew she was hurting. even so, when she finally noticed you, her eyes betrayed her, lighting up for just a fraction of a second. a smile, small and fleeting, touched her lips, but she quickly tucked it away, maintaining the calm composure she was known for. she slipped her hands into her pockets and turned toward you with a measured nod, a subtle acknowledgment of your presence.

you didn’t hesitate. how could you? the handle of your suitcase slipped from your grasp, forgotten as you broke into a run. you closed the distance between you in a heartbeat, your heart pounding in your chest, not from exertion but from the overwhelming emotion that surged through you. the moment you reached her, you threw your arms around her, rising onto your toes to bury your face in the familiar curve of her neck. for a heartbeat, she seemed frozen in place, her body stiff against yours. how long had it been? six years since you last saw her, standing in this very airport, waving goodbye as you left for the states. you had changed—grown taller, perhaps prettier—but as you held her, it was clear that some things hadn’t changed at all.

you hugged her just as you always had, with all the intensity of someone who had been holding on to their memories for far too long. and then, slowly, she hugged you back. her arms wrapped around you in that same calm, steady way, and you could feel her relax into the embrace, allowing herself to absorb the warmth she had been without for so many years.

when you finally pulled back, your face broke into a broad smile. “i missed you so much,” you whispered, the words tumbling out with all the pent-up emotion you had carried across oceans and time zones. she scoffed softly, her eyes flicking to yours, and you saw the faint blur of tears in your vision. “i can’t believe you’re crying,” she said, her voice light but with an undertone that spoke of something deeper. she paused, and in that moment, there was a tenderness in her gaze that you rarely saw. “you haven’t changed at all.”

her words tugged at something in your heart, a mix of warmth and a sadness that threatened to spill over. but she held it together, even as the sight of your tears seemed to break something inside her. you shook your head and wiped your eyes with a small, resigned sigh. “you’re so cold,” you joked, your voice a little unsteady but filled with affection. “you haven’t changed either.”

a small smile curved her lips, a smile that was all the more precious because it was so rare. without another word, you both turned to retrieve your suitcase from where it had fallen, and as you walked back together, side by side, you felt the weight of all those years apart begin to lift. there was still so much to say, so much to do, but for now, it was enough to be here with her. just like old times.

the drive through the familiar streets of korea felt like stepping back into a dream you had almost forgotten. the air was thick with the scent of home, a mixture of city life and something more intangible, something that spoke of all the memories you had left behind. you leaned out the window, letting the breeze play with your hair, your eyes drinking in the sights you hadn’t seen in years. everything felt the same, yet different—like revisiting a childhood haunt and realizing you’re not the same person who once walked those streets.

your thoughts drifted, slipping into the past, to all the moments you and joohyun had shared in this very city. the streets were filled with ghosts of your younger selves, echoes of laughter, of late-night talks, of dreams spoken in hushed voices. you were so lost in the haze of nostalgia that you barely noticed when the window began to close, the glass rising slowly until it was halfway shut. the abruptness startled you, and you whipped your head around to see joohyun, her fingers still on the button, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips.

“a warning would be nice next time,” you scowled, half-serious, half-amused.

she chuckled, the sound low and soft, a quiet expression of the emotions she kept tightly guarded. you could see it in her eyes, in the way her shoulders seemed lighter than they had been in the airport. despite everything she had lost, despite the crushing weight of her grief, she was happy to have you back, more than words could ever express. and perhaps that was why she didn’t say anything at all, letting the silence between you speak for her.

as the car continued its journey through the city, you leaned back against the seat, turning to face her. “you must be going through a lot,” you said gently, the words careful, cautious. you didn’t want to break her, but you couldn’t ignore the pain you knew she was holding inside. you watched as her face, momentarily softened by your presence, grew distant once more, a shadow passing over her features. “i’m sorry i wasn’t there,” you added, the apology hanging in the air between you like an unanswered question.

she shrugged, her gaze fixed on the road ahead, her expression unreadable. “not your fault,” she replied, her voice steady but detached. “you had work.” you frowned, knowing she was trying to shield you from the guilt, trying to make it easier for you to accept that life had pulled you away when she needed you most. but it didn’t lessen the ache in your chest, the regret that gnawed at you. “everything’s gone, isn’t it?” you asked, the words slipping out before you could stop them.

“the house is gone,” she answered, her voice dropping to a cold, emotionless tone that sent a shiver down your spine. her face hardened, her jaw tightening as she paused, a bitter smile flickering and dying as quickly as it had appeared. “but i’m not sure about everything else.”

a sprinkle of hope sparked within you, a fragile, flickering flame that there might be something left—something worth salvaging from the wreckage. “let’s go to your place first,” you suggested, your voice infused with a determination you hoped would give her strength. then, more gently, you added, “you’ll stay with me until we find you a new place.”

she nodded, her eyes still glued to the road, her hands gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. you knew this was a heartbreaking experience for her, more than you could ever truly understand. the loss of her mother, the destruction of her home—it was a devastation that would take years to heal, if it ever did. but selfishly, you couldn’t help wanting her close, wanting to keep her with you for as long as possible. perhaps it was your own fear, your own need to hold onto the one person who had always been your anchor.

the moment you reached the house, or rather, the charred remains of what once had been a home, joohyun’s face remained a mask of unreadable calm. but as you caught a glimpse of the scene in the rearview mirror, your own composure shattered. the sight of the blackened skeleton that was once her house, her sanctuary, hit you like a physical blow. a gasp escaped your lips as you fumbled with the door handle, stumbling out of the car before joohyun had even unbuckled her seatbelt. you rushed toward the yard, your breath hitching as you took in the devastation.

it was all gone. the house, the memories, the warmth that had once filled this place—it had all truly burned down. the structure was a ruin, a husk of twisted metal and ash, standing like a ghost in the pale light of the day. you felt a deep, aching sense of loss as you recalled the times you had spent here with joohyun and her mother. you remembered the afternoons spent sharing homemade cookies, the evenings where laughter filled the air, and even the night you shared your first sip of alcohol under the watchful, yet understanding eyes of her mother. these were moments that had seemed eternal at the time, woven into the fabric of this place. but now, they had vanished as if they had never been, reduced to nothing more than smoke and ash.

you didn’t even notice joohyun’s presence behind you until her voice broke through the heavy silence. “it’s a mess, isn’t it?” she said, her tone flat, almost detached.

you nodded weakly, amazed at the way she managed to hold herself together. she stood beside you, her gaze sweeping over the ruins with a cold, steady look, as if she had already accepted the loss, as if the sight of it didn’t break her heart anew. you both walked into the scattered remains, your steps cautious, as if you were treading through sacred ground. the once vibrant garden was now nothing but a patch of dirt, the flowers and grass scorched away, leaving behind a barren wasteland. the house, where her mother had once bustled about, was reduced to a skeleton of beams and charred wood. it was hard to tell where anything had been, where her mother had spent her last moments, because everything was gone, indistinguishable from the rest of the debris.

you took it all in, every agonizing detail, trying to grasp the magnitude of the loss, until joohyun’s voice cut through your thoughts. “holy shit,” she muttered, her voice tight with disbelief.

you turned to see her standing in the far corner of what had once been the living room, her frame bent over something small and dark against the ash-covered ground. your heart clenched as you rushed over, dread twisting in your gut. “what happened?” you asked, your voice laced with concern. but as you reached her, you didn’t need an answer. the sight before you told the story in heart-wrenching clarity.

there, half-buried in the soot and debris, were the melted remains of piano keys. they were barely recognizable, twisted and warped beyond repair, but you knew exactly what they were. they had once been part of a beautiful piano, a gift from her mother, a lifeline for joohyun. it was the one thing that had always grounded her, the thing that had held her together when everything else was falling apart. now, it too was destroyed, reduced to a pitiful pile of warped plastic and charred wood.

“you’ve gotta be kidding,” she scoffed, her voice bitter, filled with a frustration that bordered on anger. she stood up suddenly, her face twisted with emotion, and with a sharp kick, she sent the remains of the keys scattering across the ground. the act was one of raw, unfiltered rage, a moment where the grief she had been holding back finally broke through the surface.

you watched her, helpless, feeling the weight of her pain settle heavily in your chest. “i’m sorry,” you murmured, your voice trembling, but you knew the words were inadequate. they could do nothing to bring back what had been lost. joohyun didn’t respond, her expression blank as she turned away from the wreckage and made her way back to the car. you stood there for a moment longer, staring at the scattered keys, the last remnants of something that had once brought her so much joy. there was nothing left for you to do here, nothing to salvage from the ashes. with a heavy heart, you turned and followed her, the weight of her grief pressing down on you like a physical thing.

the drive back home was steeped in silence, a quiet so profound that it felt almost sacred. you had insisted on taking over the wheel, and joohyun hadn’t argued. she simply nodded, slipping into the passenger seat with an almost mechanical grace, her body sagging against the window. you glanced at her from time to time as you drove, the road ahead a blur of gray asphalt and muted city lights. her eyes were distant, lost somewhere deep within herself, her thoughts wrapped tightly around the remnants of the life she had just left behind.

you wanted to say something, anything, to ease the tension, to pull her back from whatever dark place she had retreated to. but the words felt clumsy and inadequate in your mouth. still, you couldn’t stand the silence, so you spoke softly, hoping your voice might reach her. “don’t worry too much about it,” you murmured, your eyes fixed on the road ahead.

she didn’t respond, her gaze remaining fixed on the passing scenery outside the window, her reflection barely visible in the glass. you bit your lip, realizing that your attempt to comfort her had fallen flat. maybe she wasn’t ready to talk, maybe she just needed this silence to process everything. so, you let it be, sinking into your own thoughts, the quiet stretching between you like a fragile thread.

when you finally arrived at your house, the familiarity of it brought a wave of unexpected comfort. it was as if no time had passed at all—the same wooden porch, the same door with the paint slightly chipped at the edges, the same sense of home that had always been there. you hadn’t put the place up for rent or sale, too sentimental to let go of the memories embedded in its walls. the house had always been a repository of your past, a place where you had tucked away moments too precious to be shared with the world. it seemed you were more sentimental than joohyun, who had always moved forward with a quiet, determined resolve, leaving the past where it belonged.

she took your suitcase from the trunk as you fumbled with your keys, her movements steady and purposeful despite the exhaustion you knew she must have been feeling. when you finally unlocked the door and stepped inside, the smell hit you first—a mix of wood, dust, and something uniquely yours. it was the smell of home, unchanged by the years. the interior was the same too, a snapshot frozen in time, as if the house itself had been waiting for your return.

joohyun stepped inside and paused, her eyes sweeping over the familiar surroundings. she took a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling with the effort, and you could see a small measure of the tension drain from her. “make yourself at home,” you said softly, watching as she nodded in response, her eyes still distant but a little less haunted.

she walked over to the couch and planted herself on it, her movements slow, almost lethargic. you stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do, before you saw her reach into her pocket and pull out a small box. she fumbled with it, drawing out a cigarette and placing it between her lips. her eyes flickered up to meet yours, a silent question lingering in the air between you. “can i smoke inside?” she asked, her voice flat, almost dispassionate.

you nodded with a small smile, understanding the need behind the request. joohyun had always been a smoker, though only in times of stress, when the world seemed too heavy to bear on her own. you had never liked the taste of cigarettes, the acrid smell that clung to the air, but you understood that this was her way of coping, of finding a moment’s peace amidst the chaos.

she fumbled with the cigarette for a moment longer before muttering a soft, “shit,” her frustration evident in the way her shoulders tensed. she turned to you again, her expression a mix of exasperation and helplessness. “do you have a lighter by any chance?”

you thought about it for a second, recalling the small collection you had accumulated over the years. you weren’t a smoker yourself, but you had always kept lighters around, just for her. joohyun had a habit of half-assing her smoking, never bothering to carry a lighter with her. it had become something of a ritual for you, collecting lighters and storing them in a bowl on the counter, ready for whenever she might need one.

without a word, you walked over to the counter and pulled out a white lighter from the bowl. but before you handed it to her, an idea struck you. You reached into a drawer, pulling out a marker, and carefully wrote her initials—J.H.—on the side of the lighter. it was a small gesture, but one filled with meaning, a way of telling her that you were thinking of her, that you would always be there to support her, even in the smallest of ways.

you handed her the lighter with a grin, your eyes warm as you said, “there you go,” pausing before adding with a playful smile, “now you have your own lighter.”

she took it quietly, her fingers brushing against yours as she accepted the small gift. her face remained unreadable, but there was a softness in her eyes, a flicker of emotion that she didn’t bother to hide. a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and though she didn’t say anything, that smile said enough.

as you settled into your room, the familiar routine of unpacking your suitcase offered a strange comfort, a sense of returning to something long forgotten yet deeply cherished. you laid out your clothes carefully, smoothing out the wrinkles with your hands as you arranged them on the bed. each garment held a memory, a fragment of the past that you couldn’t help but savor. the room was bathed in the soft, golden light of the late afternoon, the shadows stretching across the walls in long, gentle strokes. you took your time, enjoying the simple act of putting your life back in order after the chaos of travel.

your makeup followed suit, each item placed with precision on the dresser. you smiled to yourself as you laid out the small tubes of lipstick, the compacts of blush, the brushes and powders. the thought of sharing these things with joohyun filled you with a nostalgic warmth. it was just like when you were younger, when you would sit cross-legged on the floor of your old room, giggling as you applied cheap makeup to each other’s faces, or swapped clothes in a flurry of fabric before heading out. nothing had changed, it seemed, despite the years that had stretched between then and now.

you glanced over at the clothes you had neatly stacked on the bed. some were from your suitcase, others you had pulled from your closet. they were a mix of styles, colors, and textures, each piece carefully chosen with joohyun in mind. you wanted her to feel at home, to feel cared for, to know that you would do anything to ease her burden, even if it was just something as simple as offering her a change of clothes.

you didn’t notice her presence at first—not until the faint, familiar scent of cigarette smoke reached your nose. you turned to see her standing in the doorway, the cigarette poised between her fingers, a thin trail of smoke curling upwards. she looked at you, her expression unreadable, but there was a softness in her eyes that hadn’t been there earlier.

a smile tugged at your lips as you gestured to the clothes on the bed. “i figured you’d need this,” you said, your voice light but filled with meaning. “but we’ll have to go out and buy some more.” you paused, suddenly unsure. “is this okay?”

she nodded, her gaze shifting to the clothes as she approached the bed. she sat down on the edge, her fingers brushing lightly over the fabric, tracing the patterns as if trying to commit them to memory. a dry laugh escaped her lips, a sound that was both bitter and amused. “just like old times,” she murmured, almost to herself. it was as if she had plucked the thought straight from your mind.

you nodded in agreement, the memories flooding back with a bittersweet intensity. “i can get the guest room ready for you in a bit,” you offered, your voice softer now, tinged with a nervous energy you couldn’t quite place.

but she shook her head, catching you off guard. “what? we can share clothes but not a bed?” her tone was teasing, a playful challenge meant to lighten the mood, but it had the opposite effect. your breath caught in your throat, a rush of old, buried feelings surfacing unexpectedly. the thought of sharing a bed with her, of being so close to her again after all this time—it was both thrilling and terrifying.

she seemed to notice the change in your expression, her teasing smile fading into something more serious. “if you’re uncomfortable with it, i’ll sleep in the other room,” she offered, her voice gentle, as if trying to soothe whatever inner turmoil you were suddenly grappling with. you were quick to protest, shaking your head as you rushed to reassure her. “no, it’s fine. it won’t be a problem at all.”

she nodded, accepting your words without question, but there was a hint of something in her eyes—curiosity, perhaps, or maybe just a quiet understanding. she stood up, taking the folded pajamas from the bed before making her way toward the bathroom. the door clicked shut behind her, leaving you alone in the silence of your room, the air heavy with the scent of her cigarette.

you sat down on the bed, your hands trembling slightly as you smoothed out the fabric of the sheets. what was wrong with you? why were you so on edge? this was joohyun, your lifelong friend, the person who had been by your side through everything. sharing a bed with her should have been the most natural thing in the world, just like old times.

but as you sat there, your heart beating a little too fast, you couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed. maybe it was the passage of time, the years that had slipped by while you were apart. or maybe it was the weight of everything that had happened, the loss and the grief that hung between you like a thick fog. whatever it was, it left you feeling unsettled, your thoughts spiraling in directions you hadn’t expected.

you left your room, the silence of the house pressing in around you, each step muffled by the soft carpet beneath your feet. the air was still, the kind of stillness that held its breath in anticipation, as if waiting for something to break the quiet. you walked toward the kitchen, the thought of preparing something to eat offering a welcome distraction from the strange tension that had settled in your chest.

but as you passed the bathroom, something caught your eye—a sliver of light, the door left slightly ajar. it was a small thing, easily ignored, yet you found yourself pausing. without thinking, you reached out to close it, your hand hovering just above the wood. but before you could move, your gaze drifted through the narrow opening, and what you saw made your breath hitch in your throat.

joohyun was inside, her back to you as she stood by the sink. her pajamas lay folded on the counter, and she was undressing, peeling off her clothes with a slow, deliberate grace that made your heart stutter in your chest. the shirt slipped from her shoulders, revealing the smooth, pale curve of her back, each motion unhurried, almost languid, as if she had all the time in the world. you should have looked away. you knew you should have walked away, closed the door and given her privacy. but you couldn’t move, couldn’t tear your eyes away from the sight of her.

the room seemed to shrink around you, the walls pressing in as your mind raced. this wasn’t the first time you’d seen her like this; you had grown up together, had shared everything from clothes to secrets. you’d bathed together as toddlers, innocent and carefree, unaware of the changes that time would bring. but now, standing there with your heart pounding in your ears, you realized with startling clarity that something had changed.

you forced yourself to turn away, to drag your gaze from her and step back into the hallway. your heart was still racing, a wild, erratic beat that echoed in the silence. “what’s wrong with you?” you whispered to yourself, trying to shake off the feeling that had lodged itself deep in your chest, a mixture of confusion, longing, and something you couldn’t quite name. you felt the tension gathering in your throat, the way your breath came in shallow, uneven bursts. you swallowed hard, trying to push it down, to regain some semblance of control as you made your way to the kitchen.

the kitchen was familiar and comforting in its simplicity. the countertops were just as you remembered, the cabinets filled with the same mismatched dishes you had grown up with. you focused on the task at hand, letting the routine of cooking ground you, offering a distraction from the turmoil that had erupted within you. you set about preparing a meal, the rhythmic motions of chopping and stirring soothing your frayed nerves.

but no matter how hard you tried, the feeling lingered, a ghostly presence that hovered just out of reach, impossible to ignore. your hands moved automatically, muscle memory guiding you as you worked, but your mind was elsewhere, replaying the scene in the bathroom over and over. you could still see her in your mind’s eye, the way her shirt had fallen away, the curve of her spine, the gentle slope of her shoulders.

you were so lost in your thoughts that you didn’t hear her approach until it was too late. her voice cut through the quiet, startling you. “you’re still a mess in the kitchen,” she remarked, a teasing lilt to her tone. “how you managed six years alone is a mystery.” you turned to face her, trying to muster a smile, but she caught the look on your face, her own expression shifting from playful to concerned.

“what’s wrong?” she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied you. “you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

if only it were that simple, you thought, the words catching in your throat. how could you explain the tangled mess of emotions that had suddenly overwhelmed you? the way your heart had reacted to seeing her, the strange, inexplicable pull you felt toward her? you swallowed hard, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace.

“i’m just tired,” you lied, your voice too tight, too thin to be convincing. but she didn’t press further, didn’t question you as you turned back to the stove. yet you could feel the weight of her gaze on you, the unspoken words hanging in the air between you.

you focused on the food, on the simple, mundane act of cooking, but your hands betrayed you, trembling slightly as you worked. the knife slipped once, twice, but you caught it each time, cursing under your breath. this wasn’t supposed to happen. you weren’t supposed to feel like this, to be so affected by something so simple, so innocuous. but no matter how hard you tried to push it away, the feeling remained, an undercurrent of tension that refused to dissipate. as you stood there in the kitchen, the scent of the meal you were preparing mingling with the faint trace of her cigarette smoke, you couldn’t help but wonder what this all meant. what had changed between you and joohyun? and why, after all these years, did it feel like something was about to break?

you carefully laid out two plates of spicy fish stew on the living room table, the rich, aromatic scent of the dish filling the room. the stew, vibrant with its red chili paste, was a testament to the fiery flavors that defined so much of the cuisine you cherished. the warm, spicy aroma wafted through the room, mingling with the comforting ambiance of your home. joohyun looked up from her seat on the couch, her eyes brightening as she took in the meal you had prepared. “thank you,” she said with a smile, her voice carrying a hint of genuine appreciation.

you both settled into the comfortable cushions, the familiarity of the living room wrapping around you like an old friend. as you began to dig into the stew, you couldn’t help but comment, “i think koreans have a blood that’s more red than others.” she looked up at you with a puzzled expression. “what do you mean?”

“it’s because of the chili paste,” you explained, chuckling at her confusion. she scoffed, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she watched you. a few moments later, the spicy kick of the stew hit your tongue with a vengeance, making you cough uncontrollably. the heat was intense, the spices dancing on the surface of your tongue. joohyun’s teasing voice cut through your coughing fit. “your blood must’ve paled. the states really got to you, huh?”

you shot her a look, downing your water in a bid to cool the fire that was blazing in your mouth. despite the pain, you found solace in the comforting routine of the meal, the familiar tastes grounding you in a way that was both soothing and unsettling. the meal was undeniably comforting, the taste of home a balm to your frayed nerves. yet, as you washed the plates afterward, a sense of unease lingered in the air. everything felt as it should, yet something was subtly amiss. the house, the food, the company—all were familiar, but the undercurrent of tension remained present, like a shadow lurking just out of sight.

you looked over at joohyun, who was now sprawled on the couch, her gaze fixed on the ceiling. the television played in the background, but she paid it no mind, her fingers absently playing with the lighter. the small flame flickered on and off, casting brief, dancing shadows on her face. concerned, you took a seat beside her, breaking the silence with a soft question. “are you sure you’ll be okay?” she nodded, her gaze still unfocused. “i’m just thinking,” she said quietly. “about her.”

your heart ached at the raw emotion in her voice. “you must miss her, don’t you?” she shrugged, a hint of resignation in her tone. “everybody dies, right? i just wanna know what happens after, where you go when the end comes.”

the question was profound, echoing a sentiment that you had grappled with yourself. the uncertainty of what lay beyond was a question without a definitive answer, only a spectrum of beliefs and hopes. you tried to offer a sliver of optimism, hoping it would bring her some comfort. “if there’s a heaven, she’ll be the first one there.”

joohyun’s eyes met yours, a flicker of sadness mingled with hope in their depths. “i wanna go there, too.”

her words cut through you, a sharp pang of emotion striking deep within. you fought to keep your voice steady, a smile curving your lips despite the ache in your chest. “you will. why wouldn’t you?”

her gaze softened, and for a moment, the weight of her grief seemed to lift just slightly. the two of you sat together in silence, the room filled with the quiet hum of the television and the occasional flicker of the lighter. you wanted to believe that everything would be okay, that there was a place beyond the pain and loss, where those we love could find peace.

your room was bathed in the soft glow of the bedside lamp, casting gentle shadows on the walls that seemed to whisper of the past. the familiar scent of lavender, the same scent you had always kept in the room, lingered in the air, mingling with the faint aroma of the stew you had prepared earlier. everything was exactly as you remembered it—your room, your bed, the slight creak of the wooden floorboards beneath your feet. yet, despite the comforting familiarity, your heart was pounding with an intensity that left you breathless.

you approached the bed with a mix of anticipation and apprehension. joohyun was already settled on her side, claiming the left side of the bed. she had always preferred that side, a small detail that seemed so insignificant yet felt profoundly comforting now. you climbed in carefully, trying to mask the nervous tremor in your movements. the bed was just as you remembered—soft, with a slight dip in the middle where you had spent countless nights, and the same plush pillows that had witnessed many shared conversations and quiet moments.

as you eased yourself into your side of the bed, joohyun turned toward you, a yawn escaping her lips. “i’m so tired,” she murmured, her voice carrying a weary undertone that spoke of the long day she had endured. “fuck.”

you settled into your spot, your head sinking into the pillow. “get some rest,” you said softly. “as long as you want.”

she nodded, her gaze following your movements as you found your place beside her. the silence that fell between you was thick but not uncomfortable. it was a silence filled with the weight of years spent apart, of memories rekindled and emotions left unspoken. you turned to face her, your eyes meeting hers in the dim light. in that silence, everything seemed magnified—the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, the way the moonlight played on her features, the softness of her hair spread across the pillow. you couldn’t help but watch her, taking in every detail as if memorizing it.

joohyun broke the silence with a quiet, almost hesitant whisper. “i missed you.”

her words were a soft, tender balm to the ache that had settled in your heart. your own heart fluttered at her admission, and a genuine smile spread across your face. “i missed you too.”

a small, wistful smile graced her lips in return, a fleeting moment of warmth that seemed to bridge the gap of the years you had spent apart. then, she closed her eyes, the smile lingering just a moment longer before it faded into the peaceful stillness of sleep. the room was silent except for the soft, rhythmic sound of your breathing and the steady, insistent pounding of your heart. it was a sound that filled your ears, a reminder of the emotion you felt, the connection you cherished. as you lay there, your gaze fixed on the ceiling, you allowed yourself to relax into the bed. despite the pounding of your heart, there was a sense of contentment, of belonging, that wrapped around you like a gentle embrace.

when you woke up, the room was still shrouded in the soft, early morning light. joohyun lay beside you, her form curled comfortably into the pillows, her breathing slow and steady. she looked so serene, her features softened in sleep, and for a moment, you couldn’t take your eyes off her. the stillness of her slumber, the peace etched across her face—it felt like a delicate treasure that you didn’t want to disturb.

quietly, you eased yourself out of bed, taking care not to make a sound. the soft rustling of the sheets was the only noise you allowed yourself as you moved about. you dressed carefully, each motion deliberate and soft, ensuring that nothing would rouse her from her restful state.

once you were ready, you padded softly to the door, feeling a peculiar sense of anticipation. it had been a while since you’d checked the mailbox, and a part of you hoped for something—anything—that might offer a semblance of normalcy. stepping outside, you made your way to the mailbox, your heart quickening with each step.

to your surprise, the mailbox was indeed full. a letter jutted out conspicuously, and you retrieved it with a sense of eagerness. as you opened the envelope, a wave of relief washed over you. it was your paycheck for the month, finally arriving after a delay due to your recent departure. holding it in your hands, you felt a weight lift from your shoulders. it was a tangible reminder that, despite everything, some things remained stable.

the financial strain you had been feeling was momentarily alleviated. you knew you couldn’t spend it recklessly, as you had struggled with in the past. joohyun had always been the one with the knack for smart spending, a skill you had admired and aspired to learn. but now, with this money in hand, a thought struck you—a way to spend it thoughtfully and meaningfully.

you hurried back inside, the letter clutched in your hand, and reached for your phone. your mind raced with the idea you had conceived, driven by the need to act quickly and decisively. you knew exactly what you wanted to do. without hesitation, you began to place an order, your fingers flying over the screen. this was not for you but for joohyun, a gesture of care and support that felt right in the moment.

as you completed the transaction, a sense of satisfaction settled over you. the order would be delivered promptly and securely, a small but significant way to show your support and gratitude for the years of friendship and understanding you had shared. you imagined joohyun’s reaction, the surprise and appreciation that would follow, and it made the effort worth it.

when joohyun woke up, the room was bathed in a soft morning light that filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle glow across the room. you were already in the living room, your movements quiet and careful as you prepared two cups of coffee. the aroma of the freshly brewed coffee filled the space, a comforting and familiar scent that seemed to promise a sense of normalcy amidst the turmoil. you had arranged the cups on the table, and as she emerged from the bedroom, her eyes still heavy with sleep, you handed her one with a warm smile. “good morning,” you said softly. “coffee?”

she accepted the cup with a murmured thank you, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. she appeared distracted, her usual composure replaced by an off-kilter demeanor that seemed out of place. though she had slept in, there was more to her mood than mere tiredness. as she sat down on the couch, her gaze fell upon the lighter you had given her. it was perched on the counter, a small, simple object that now seemed to carry a heavier weight. she reached for it, her fingers absently flicking the flame on and off. the sight of the flame, so small and yet so symbolic, seemed to hold a peculiar significance for her—a reminder of what had been lost.

without thinking, you moved closer and gently blew out the flame. joohyun turned to you with a look of surprise, her eyes widening as she met your gaze. “what?” you asked, attempting to lighten the mood. “so glum this early?”

ahe sighed deeply, the sound a mix of exhaustion and introspection. “i’ve been thinking,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “i don’t know anything. i have no idea who i am.” her words were laden with uncertainty, a contrast to her usually poised demeanor. you understood her struggle without needing any further explanation. how could she possibly find herself after enduring such profound loss, after seeing everything she had disappear in an instant?

“bae joohyun,” you whispered softly, the name slipping from your lips before you could stop it. “you’re bae joohyun.”

joohyun’s gaze met yours, and a small, sad smile crept across her face. “i have no idea who she is anymore,” she said quietly, her voice tinged with resignation.

you placed a reassuring hand over hers, the warmth of her skin surprising you. the gesture was as much for your comfort as for hers, a physical connection that bridged the gap between uncertainty and reassurance. you winced slightly at the warmth, but you forced a gentle smile as you spoke. “you have all the time in the world to figure that out,” you said. “there’s no rush.”

her eyes softened, and she nodded, seemingly comforted by your words. ahe hadn’t even realized that the lighter had slipped from her grasp, falling unnoticed to the floor. the small act of solace seemed to bring a fleeting sense of peace, and for a moment, the weight of her burden felt a little lighter.

you watched joohyun from the corner of your eye as the hours passed, the way she clung to familiar comforts like cigarettes and alcohol, the way her gaze seemed lost in the flicker of the lighter’s flame. the weight of her grief was evident in these small, self-destructive habits, a silent testament to the immense loss she had suffered. it pained you to see her slipping away, losing pieces of herself in the haze of her sorrow.

the sound of the doorbell broke through your thoughts, a sharp, promising chime that tugged you from your concern. you rushed to the door, your heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and nervous excitement. the order you had placed had arrived faster than you had hoped, and the prospect of surprising joohyun brought a renewed sense of purpose.

“who is it?” her voice called out from the hallway, tinged with curiosity. without missing a beat, you sprinted to her, gently but firmly guiding her back into the living room. “don’t come out, don’t you dare,” you whispered urgently, trying to keep your voice low and insistent. her startled expression softened into a chuckle, but she complied, retreating to the couch with a bemused shake of her head.

you returned to the door, signing for the package and then stepping outside to retrieve it. the box was enormous, much larger than anything you could comfortably manage on your own, but you were determined. the weight of it was a physical manifestation of your resolve, a symbol of your intent to ease her pain, even if just a little.

straining under the box’s weight, you navigated the stairs with careful steps, the bulk of the package pressing heavily against you. sweat trickled down your forehead, and you muttered to yourself, “she better like it,” as you heaved the box into your room.

once inside, you carefully unboxed the contents, revealing the piano in its elegant form. the sight of it, pristine and intact, filled you with a profound sense of relief. you had chosen this as a gift not just for its sentimental value but for the solace it could bring. the piano was more than just an instrument; it was a piece of joohyun’s past, a fragment of what had been lost, now returned to her.

wiping the sweat from your brow, you took a moment to admire the piano’s glossy surface, its intricate details catching the soft light of the room. this was not merely an object but a bridge to her past, a connection to the pieces of herself she had feared were gone forever. you carefully positioned the piano in a corner of your room, making sure it was perfectly placed. the act of setting it up was almost ceremonial, a way of honoring her grief and the memories that had been intertwined with the instrument.

as you finished, you stood back, allowing yourself a moment to appreciate the sight of the piano. you knew that the gift, while tangible, was a symbol of your unwavering support and love. it was a gesture to remind her that amidst all the loss and confusion, there was still something familiar, something worth holding onto. satisfied with your efforts, you made your way back downstairs, where joohyun was still seated on the couch. her eyes were drawn to you as you approached, and you could see a flicker of curiosity in them.

as you stood in the doorway, her eyes searching your exhausted form, she asked, “what is it?” her voice was tinged with concern and curiosity. you could see the confusion in her eyes, but you shook your head, a smile playing on your lips despite the fatigue that weighed on your shoulders.

“just close your eyes,” you instructed gently, your voice soft but insistent. you reached for her hand, feeling the warmth of her skin against yours as you guided her up the stairs. her fingers intertwined with yours, and the sensation sent a shiver through you, a mix of exhilaration and nervousness that made your heart race. you could feel the subtle tremor in your knees, but you focused on the comforting reality of her hand in yours, the connection between you both.

the climb up the stairs seemed to stretch on forever, but with every step, you felt a growing sense of anticipation. as you reached your room, you eased her into the space, positioning her in front of the piano with a whispered, “you can open your eyes now.”

joohyun hesitated for a brief moment before she complied, her gaze slowly adjusting to the sight before her. her eyes widened as she took in the grand piano, its polished surface gleaming softly in the morning light. the instrument stood there like a beacon of lost memories, its presence a tangible connection to the past that had been so cruelly stripped away.

“you,” she began, her voice faltering as she struggled to find the right words. her shock was evident, her eyes moving over the piano’s every detail, as if trying to assure herself that it was real. she reached out, her fingers trailing delicately over the surface, the familiar sensation bringing a tremor of emotion. when she turned back to you, you asked softly, “do you like it?”

the question seemed to float in the air, and rather than answering with words, joohyun’s response came in the form of a gentle embrace. she stepped toward you and wrapped her arms around you, the gesture tender and heartfelt. it wasn’t an eager or frantic hug but one of deep, composed gratitude. you were momentarily taken aback, the warmth of her embrace flooding over you, and you held her close, savoring the closeness you had missed so dearly.

“thank you,” she whispered against your shoulder, her voice catching slightly. “i can’t believe you did this.” you pulled back slightly, offering her a reassuring smile. “you should thank me by playing it,” you said playfully, “it’s only fair.”

joohyun chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with a mix of gratitude and joy. she nodded, her smile growing as she moved to sit in front of the piano. you watched with bated breath as she positioned herself on the bench, her fingers poised above the keys.

with a deep breath, she began to play. the initial notes were hesitant, but soon they flowed smoothly, her fingers dancing gracefully across the keys. the music filled the room, a rich, melodic tapestry that wove together the threads of her past with the present moment. each note seemed to resonate with a part of her soul, a reflection of both her joy and her sorrow.

you stood behind her, mesmerized by the way her hands moved with such fluidity and skill. the sound of the piano was both soothing and invigorating, and you felt a surge of happiness as you watched her lose herself in the music. the composition was beautiful, a perfect blend of melancholic and hopeful tones that seemed to echo the complexities of her emotions. feeling a surge of affection, you slipped your arms around her neck, pulling her close as you swayed gently to the rhythm of the music. the contact between you both felt natural, comforting. she didn’t seem to mind your touch; in fact, she leaned into it, her posture relaxed and content.

the piano’s melody enveloped you both, a shared moment of intimacy and solace. you reveled in the feeling of being so close to her, of supporting her through this small, but significant act of reclaiming her passion. as she continued to play, her focus unwavering, you couldn’t help but feel the profound sense of fulfillment you had been longing for. in the midst of the music, you held her gently, allowing the notes to carry you both into a space where the past and present intertwined seamlessly.

as the final notes of the piano lingered in the air, fading into the quiet of the room, your arms remained wrapped gently around joohyun's neck. the silence that followed felt sacred, a soft cocoon of warmth and intimacy that neither of you wished to break. joohyun let out a quiet, almost breathless “thank you,” her voice carrying the weight of all the emotions she hadn’t expressed in words.

you smiled, your breath warm against her ear as you whispered back, “i haven’t heard you play in a while.” the truth of that statement hung between you both. six years, or perhaps even longer, had passed without the sound of her music. it was something she had always kept private, a part of herself she rarely shared with others. even her own mother had never heard her play the way she had for you. it had always been your shared secret, a testament to the closeness you once had—and maybe still did.

joohyun nodded in acknowledgment, her body easing into your touch as if seeking comfort in the familiarity of your embrace. “it’s been a while,” she murmured, her voice tinged with a quiet resignation.

you leaned in closer, turning slightly to meet her gaze. a teasing glint sparked in your eyes as you quipped, “must be why you’ve gotten rusty.” the playful accusation was met with a roll of her eyes, a gesture that felt like a return to your younger days when teasing banter was a regular occurrence between you.

she stood up then, gracefully extracting herself from your hold, though her expression remained soft, her smile lingering just at the corners of her lips. you clasped your hands together, a sudden idea igniting in your mind, one that felt so natural and right in that moment. “i have an idea,” you announced, your tone a mix of excitement and nostalgia. she raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “what’s the idea?”

“let’s go to the sea,” you suggested, your eyes bright with anticipation. the thought of the ocean, with its vastness and endless horizon, filled you with a sense of longing. it had been too long since you both had felt the salty breeze on your skin, heard the rhythmic crashing of the waves, or simply sat in the sand, watching the world go by. a smile tugged at her lips, one that she tried to suppress but failed. “we haven’t gone since we were kids,” she mused, more to herself than to you. there was something wistful in her tone, as if she too had been longing for the sea without realizing it.

you nodded eagerly, your enthusiasm infectious. “so, are you up for it?” joohyun met your gaze, her eyes searching yours for a moment before she nodded. “yeah,” she said softly, her smile widening as she agreed. “let’s go.”

the drive to the sea was filled with the kind of simple joy that felt as endless as the road stretched out before you. the windows were rolled down, letting the salty breeze whip through the car, tugging at your hair and filling the air with the scent of freedom. the radio hummed softly, playing songs that seemed to match the rhythm of your heart, every note underscoring the thrill of the moment. as joohyun drove, she glanced over at you, her eyes catching on the way the wind tousled your hair, how it mingled with the scent of salt and summer, how your face lit up with a grin that she had seen countless times before but never really noticed until now.

it was a startling realization for her. everything about you was familiar—your laughter, the way you leaned out the window, letting the wind carry your worries away, the light in your eyes as you lost yourself in the joy of the moment. it was all you, undeniably you, yet for the first time, joohyun felt something shift inside her. a strange, unnameable feeling that no melody could capture, no words could articulate. it was something she couldn’t quite explain, and it made her heart skip in a way that was both unsettling and wonderful. she turned her gaze back to the road, trying to focus on the drive, but that feeling lingered, refusing to be ignored.

when you finally reached the sea, joohyun barely had time to park the car before you bolted out, a cheer escaping your lips as you sprinted toward the sand. she found herself smiling, a genuine, soft smile that she hadn’t felt in a long time. you were a vision, spinning in the sand like a child, the wind playing with your hair, your white dress flowing around you like something out of a dream. the sight of you, so free, so full of life, made something tighten in her chest. you had always been you, the same you she had known for years—so why did it feel like she was seeing you for the first time?

“come on now,” she called out, her voice tinged with amusement. “you’re gonna fall.” but her words barely registered as you continued to move with the wind, your laughter mingling with the sound of the waves, the sense of loss that had been hanging over you both replaced, even if only for a moment, by a burning nostalgia.

she walked over to your side, her steps slow, almost hesitant. when you turned to face her, your eyes were bright with excitement, and it was contagious. joohyun couldn’t help but smile as she took in the sight of you. you looked so happy, and the way her heart raced in response caught her off guard. “just like when we were kids, right?” she asked, her voice soft, almost wistful.

you paused, your expression thoughtful as you considered her words. “not quite,” you said finally, a mischievous grin spreading across your face.

before she could ask what you meant, you crouched down, gathering a handful of seawater in your hands before standing up and flinging it at her with a playful laugh. the cold water splashed against her, and she flinched, a look of shock crossing her face as you grinned wider. “now it is,” you declared, your laughter ringing out like music.

joohyun wiped the water from her eyes, an incredulous smile tugging at her lips. “i might kill you now,” she muttered, but there was no real threat in her voice.

you didn’t wait to find out. with a yelp, you turned and started running, your feet kicking up sand as you made a break for it. to your surprise, joohyun took off after you, her usual cool demeanor lost to the sea breeze. it was a side of her you hadn’t seen in years, and it filled you with a giddy sense of joy. but she was faster than you anticipated, and before you knew it, she caught up to you, tackling you into the sand with a laugh.

she hovered over you, her breath coming in soft pants, her eyes locked on yours. the smile on your face never faltered, even as you brushed a few wet strands of hair away from her forehead. “you’re all wet,” you teased, your voice light, playful, but there was an undercurrent of something more—something neither of you dared to name.

she seemed stunned for a moment, her eyes widening slightly as she felt the warmth of your touch. she winced, but not out of discomfort—rather, it was a reaction to the unfamiliar craving your touch stirred in her. you looked so helpless, so pretty, so oblivious to the effect you had on her, and it was all she could think about.

“shut up,” she murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper, but she didn’t look away. she couldn’t. the feel of the sand between her toes, the salty water clinging to her skin—it all faded into the background. all that mattered was you, lying there beneath her, your eyes wide and trusting, your smile soft and sweet. you frowned slightly, a hint of worry creeping into your expression. “you’re not mad at me, are you?”

joohyun shook her head, her eyes never leaving yours. “how could i ever be mad at you?” she asked, her voice so tender it made your heart flutter.

it wasn’t one-sided. joohyun felt it too, that fluttering, fragile feeling that was as exhilarating as it was terrifying. it was exactly why she forced herself to sit up, to put some distance between you, even if it was just a few inches. but you weren’t ready to let go of the moment. you sat up beside her, heaving a sigh of contentment as you leaned against her shoulder, your head resting there like it was the most natural thing in the world.

she stiffened slightly at the contact, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes once again found their way to your frame. you didn’t seem to notice, lost in your own memories as you smiled to yourself. “we came here when we were sixteen,” you recalled, your voice soft with nostalgia.

her lips curved into a small smile as the memory surfaced. “when you tried to drown my ex,” she finished, chuckling softly. “you’re a lunatic.”

you pouted, looking up to meet her gaze, your expression full of mock indignation. “he totally deserved it for cheating on you,” you insisted, sighing dramatically before adding, “you always pick losers.”

joohyun thought about it for a moment, her eyes never leaving yours as she softly agreed, “i do, don’t i?”

but as she said the words, the realization hit her like a wave. she wasn’t thinking about anyone else—not the ex who had wronged her, not the pain that had followed. all she could think about was you. you, who had always been there, who had always cared, who was still here, sitting beside her with that same smile she had known for years. and in that moment, nothing else mattered. not the sea, not the sand, not even the past. all she could look at was you.

the drive back home from the sea was quieter, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable—it was a soothing, reflective kind of quiet, the kind that comes after you’ve spent time reconnecting with something you thought you’d lost. the day had passed in a blur of wind and waves, leaving both of you feeling a bit lighter, the weight of everything that had happened recently lifted, if only temporarily.

by the time you arrived home, night had fully fallen, the sky a deep indigo speckled with stars. you groaned as you stepped out of the car, stretching your arms above your head, every muscle in your body aching with exhaustion. “i’m so tired,” you muttered, rubbing the back of your neck as you trudged toward the house. “go sleep, don’t you have free will?” joohyun countered, her tone teasing, though her own steps were slower, more hesitant.

you turned to stick your tongue out at her, a playful gesture that had her smiling despite the turmoil in her mind. without waiting for her to respond, you ran to the bathroom, eager to wash off the salt and sand that clung to your skin.

joohyun chuckled softly to herself as she watched you go, but the smile faded as she made her way to your room. the door creaked as she pushed it open, the familiar space offering no comfort tonight. her mind was a tangled mess of thoughts, each one more confusing than the last. she didn’t know what to feel or if she was even allowed to feel what she was feeling. it was so different, so foreign, yet so intense that she couldn’t simply ignore it.

her eyes fell on the lighter you had given her, resting on the desk. she walked over to it, her fingers brushing against the cool metal before she picked it up. the weight of it felt heavier than it should have. slowly, she flicked it on, watching as the small flame danced before her eyes. it moved with a life of its own, flickering and swaying in the dim light of the room. she found herself staring at it, mesmerized and aggravated by how something so small could feel so mocking, so reminiscent of the very thing she’d been running from.

she didn’t notice how long she had been standing there, lost in thought, until the flame went out. blinking in surprise, she turned to find you standing in the doorway, a soft smile on your face. “you’re gonna burn yourself,” you chided gently, stepping into the room.

joohyun smiled back, setting the lighter down with a sense of relief she couldn’t quite explain. “guess i got a little lost in thought,” she murmured, almost to herself.

you settled into bed, the air between you thick with unspoken words. the silence that followed was heavy, not with discomfort, but with something more—a tension that neither of you fully understood, yet neither could deny. joohyun found herself staring at your back, as if waiting for something, anything, to happen. when you finally turned to face her, your eyes met, and neither of you could look away.

she broke the silence first, her voice barely more than a whisper. “how did you know?” she paused, her gaze searching yours before she finished, “how did you know you liked girls?”

the question caught you off guard, your heart skipping a beat as the weight of her words settled over you. you felt your chest tighten, your breath quickening as you processed what she was asking. “i don’t know,” you whispered back, your voice tinged with uncertainty. “i think i always knew.” joohyun let your words sink in, turning them over in her mind as she tried to make sense of her own thoughts. she had been thinking deeply about herself, about the feelings she had been trying to ignore. “why do you ask?” you countered gently, your voice drawing her back to the present.

for a long moment, she remained silent, her eyes never leaving yours. she was trying to gather her thoughts, to find the right words, but when she finally spoke, it wasn’t what you had expected to hear. it wasn’t what she had expected to say. “can i kiss you?” the words tumbled out, her voice barely above a whisper, but loud enough to break the silence.

your heart pounded in your chest, the world narrowing down to just the two of you. her question hung in the air, heavy with meaning, and you didn’t know how to react. your breathing became shallow, your skin tingling with anticipation as you processed what she was asking. silently, you nodded, giving her the permission she didn’t even know she needed.

she hesitated, her own breath hitching as she moved closer, the space between you disappearing with each inch. when she was so close that you could feel the warmth radiating off her, your eyes fluttered shut, and then her lips were on yours. the kiss was soft, tentative at first, but as soon as your lips touched, it felt familiar, as though you’d done this a thousand times before in some other life. it felt right, in a way that nothing else had for a long time.

you kissed her back, your lips moving against hers in an almost perfect embrace. there was a tenderness to it, a vulnerability that neither of you had shown before, and it made the moment all the more profound. her hand trembled as it came up to cup your cheek, her touch light but filled with emotion. you latched onto her wrist, your fingers gently caressing the soft skin there as you deepened the kiss, letting yourself get lost in the sensation.

when she finally pulled back, her breath was shaky, her heart racing in her chest. your eyes fluttered open, the reality of what had just happened sinking in. it was something you had been longing for, dreaming of, and now that it was happening, you didn’t know how to feel. “was that okay?” you asked quietly, your voice barely above a whisper, laced with uncertainty.

she nodded, a quiet smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “i liked it,” she admitted, her voice soft, but the sincerity in her words was undeniable.

a laugh bubbled up from within you, light and airy, as you watched her, your heart swelling with a mix of relief and happiness. joohyun frowned, her smile faltering slightly as she asked, “what? what’s so funny?” your laughter only grew, your shoulders shaking as you tried to calm yourself down. “am i a bad kisser?” she demanded, a hint of frustration creeping into her voice, though there was no real anger behind it.

you shook your head, your laughter dying down to a soft chuckle. “the worst,” you teased, a playful glint in your eyes. ahe scoffed, rolling her eyes despite the smile that tugged at her lips. she turned her back to you, feigning annoyance, but there was a lightness to her movements that hadn’t been there before. you let your head hit the pillow, the exhaustion from the day finally catching up to you. but as you lay there, something within you urged you to move closer.

tentatively, you scooted closer to her, your heart pounding in your chest as you wrapped your arms around her waist from behind. you could feel her stiffen at the unexpected touch, her breath hitching in her throat. for a moment, you wondered if you had made a mistake, if maybe this was too much, too soon. but then she relaxed, her body melting into yours as she scooted back, letting you hold her.

in the quiet of the night, with the world outside your room forgotten, you held each other, letting the warmth of the moment seep into your bones. it felt natural, as if this was where you both were meant to be all along. the worries, the confusion, the uncertainty—they all faded away, leaving only the steady rhythm of her breathing and the comforting weight of her body against yours. and for the first time in a long time, everything felt right.

when joohyun woke up, the world felt softer, quieter, as if the night had wrapped her in a cocoon of peace she hadn’t experienced in a long time. the weight of your arm still draped over her waist was a comforting reminder that she wasn’t alone, and it made her heart ache with a strange mixture of warmth and longing. it had been the best sleep she’d had in what felt like forever, and she almost regretted that it had to end.

she shifted slightly, careful not to wake you, but the movement was enough to stir you from sleep. your eyes fluttered open, heavy with the remnants of dreams, and you murmured a soft, “good morning,” as you pulled away from her. the space you left behind was cold, leaving her with an emptiness she hadn’t anticipated. “morning,” she replied, her voice still thick with sleep, as she rolled over to face the nightstand.

she reached for her phone, her fingers brushing against the cool surface before she turned it on. the light from the screen illuminated her face in the dim room, casting a soft glow over her features. you watched her quietly, noticing the way her eyes scanned the screen with a sort of resigned anticipation, as if she was bracing herself for something.

her gaze settled on a message, and her expression shifted, something unreadable crossing her features. “my dad texted me,” she announced quietly, the words heavy despite their simplicity. you leaned over, curiosity piqued, your heart fluttering with a sense of unease. “what did he say?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper as you tried to gauge her reaction.

she opened the message, her eyes narrowing slightly as she read the words. “he wants me to come to church with him today,” she said, her tone neutral, as if she was still processing the request herself.

the gravity of it all hit you, the weight of what that meant hanging between you like a shadow. you knew how much she had been struggling, how deeply her mother’s passing had affected her, and the thought of her stepping back into a place that held so many memories, both good and bad, made your heart ache for her. but joohyun seemed almost detached, as if the request didn’t faze her as much as you thought it would.

“why?” you asked quietly, the word slipping out before you could stop yourself.

ahe didn’t answer right away, her eyes still fixed on the screen as she read through the rest of the messages. “he thinks it’ll help with my mom’s passing,” she finally said, her voice soft, almost distant.

the ache in your heart intensified, a deep, gnawing pain that you tried to push down. how could you discourage her from that? how could you tell her not to do something that might help her heal, even if it meant walking into a place that held so much significance? you swallowed the lump in your throat, forcing a smile as you murmured, “maybe it’ll help.”

joohyun seemed to consider this, her eyes searching yours as if she was looking for something—reassurance, perhaps, or maybe just understanding. after a moment, she turned her gaze back to the phone, her thumb hovering over the screen. “would you come with me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as if she was afraid of your answer.

your breath caught in your throat. you hadn’t been to a church since you were a child, the memories of it fuzzy and distant, like a half-forgotten dream. the idea of going back, of stepping into a place that felt so foreign now, made your heart race with a mixture of fear and uncertainty. but when you looked at her, at the way she seemed so lost, so vulnerable, you knew you couldn’t say no. you saw the hurt in her eyes, the pain that she was still carrying with her, and you couldn’t bear the thought of her facing that alone.

so, you nodded, the decision made before you even realized it. “of course,” you said, your voice steady, even as your heart pounded in your chest. “i’ll go with you.” the relief in her eyes was immediate, her shoulders relaxing as if a weight had been lifted off of her. she gave you a small, grateful smile, and for a moment, the tension between you eased, replaced by something warmer, something more intimate. “thank you,” she murmured, her hand reaching out to take yours, squeezing it gently.

you found yourself sitting in the back seat of joohyun's car, feeling the tension in the air grow as you approached the church. it was a place you hadn’t stepped foot in for years, and the mere thought of entering it now made your stomach churn with unease. the idea of being surrounded by people who might judge you for who you were, for who you loved, left you feeling vulnerable in a way you hadn’t anticipated.

joohyun’s father greeted you both at the entrance, his face lighting up when he saw you. “there’s my other daughter,” he said warmly, pulling you into a tight hug. you hugged him back, the familiarity of his embrace momentarily easing the tension in your chest. when you pulled away, you offered your condolences, your voice soft and sincere.

“i’m so sorry for your loss,” you murmured, your eyes meeting his. the grief in his gaze was palpable, but he smiled at you, appreciating the sentiment. “thank you,” he replied, his voice thick with emotion. “it means a lot that you’re here.”

as you walked into the church, you felt a wave of discomfort wash over you. the space was grand, with high ceilings and stained-glass windows that bathed the room in a kaleidoscope of colors. the air was thick with incense, the smell overpowering as it filled your lungs. you couldn’t shake the feeling that you didn’t belong here, that you were an outsider in a place where everyone else seemed to fit perfectly. the church was foreign to you, and every step you took felt like it was magnified, echoing in the silence of the sacred space.

you and joohyun found a seat near the middle, close enough to see the priest clearly but far enough to feel slightly removed from the intensity of it all. you sat down, trying to steady your breathing, and glanced over at joohyun. she looked serene, calm even, as if this was just another day, but you could see the underlying tension in the way her hands fidgeted with the edge of her dress. you offered her a warm smile, hoping to provide some comfort, and she returned it, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

the service began, the priest’s voice ringing out clearly in the large space, amplified by the acoustics of the room. he spoke of loss, of the pain that comes with it, and the need to find solace in faith. his words were gentle at first, meant to soothe, to offer comfort to those who were grieving. “we are all familiar with the ache of loss,” he said, his voice carrying through the church. “but it is in our darkest moments that we must turn to god, to seek his guidance, for he is the one who will lead us to the light.”

as he spoke, you felt your heart ache for joohyun, knowing how deeply she had been hurt, how much she was struggling to find that light. without thinking, you reached out and placed your hand on top of hers, squeezing gently in a silent gesture of support. she looked down at your hand, her fingers slowly wrapping around yours, and she squeezed back, intertwining your fingers with hers. the simple touch grounded you both, a small anchor in the sea of uncertainty that surrounded you.

the priest continued, his words growing more intense, more insistent as he spoke of the need to obey god’s will, to follow his path no matter how difficult it might seem. “the trials we face are but a small price to pay for the paradise that awaits us,” he said, his voice firm. “to obey god, to live according to his commandments, is to guarantee a place in his kingdom, where there is no more pain, no more suffering.”

you felt joohyun stiffen beside you, her grip on your hand loosening until she let go entirely. the sudden absence of her touch left you feeling cold, a void opening up between you that you hadn’t anticipated. you pulled your hand back, your heart breaking as you watched her focus intently on the priest, her eyes fixed on him as if she was hanging on to every word. she seemed mesmerized, lost in the promise of salvation, of finding peace through obedience.

for a moment, you felt a pang of resentment, a bitter taste in your mouth as you listened to the priest’s words. how could someone be expected to pay such a price? to deny themselves, to live in fear of who they were, just to be accepted into paradise? the thought made your chest tighten, a silent protest forming in your mind. god loves you, you thought bitterly, but not enough to save you.

the rest of the service passed in a blur, the priest’s words fading into the background as you struggled with your own thoughts. joohyun remained quiet, her gaze never leaving the front of the church, and you couldn’t help but wonder what was going through her mind. was she finding comfort in the priest’s words? did she believe them? and if she did, where did that leave you?

when the service finally ended, the congregation began to disperse, the sound of shuffling feet and hushed whispers filling the air. you stood up slowly, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on you, but you forced yourself to smile as joohyun’s father approached. “you did well,” he said, his voice gentle as he placed a hand on her shoulder. she nodded, a small, tight-lipped smile on her face, but she didn’t say anything. he turned to you, his expression warm as he added, “thank you for being here. it means more than you know.”

you nodded, offering him a small smile in return, but the words felt hollow. all you could think about was the space that had opened up between you and joohyun, the distance that seemed to have grown in such a short amount of time.

as you left the church, the air outside felt cooler, fresher, but it did little to ease the heaviness in your chest. joohyun walked beside you, her steps slow and measured, and you couldn’t help but steal glances at her, searching for any sign of what she was feeling. but her face was unreadable, her thoughts hidden behind a mask of composure. you reached the car in silence, the only sound the soft crunch of gravel beneath your feet. she unlocked the doors, and you both got in, the silence between you thick and oppressive. as she started the engine, you glanced at her, wanting to say something, anything, to bridge the gap that had formed between you. but the words wouldn’t come.

the days following the church service felt like you were slowly losing something you didn’t quite know how to name. joohyun’s behavior shifted, subtle at first, but the changes grew more pronounced with each passing day. it was as if the moment in church had planted something in her mind, something that took root and began to grow, twisting its way through her thoughts, altering them, changing her in ways that left you feeling adrift.

it started with her eyes. the way they no longer found yours, no longer lingered on your face with that quiet, thoughtful intensity. before, there had been moments when you’d catch her looking at you, her gaze softening as if she was seeing something she didn’t fully understand but wanted to. now, her eyes skimmed over you, barely registering your presence, as if the act of looking at you was too much, too difficult. it was like she was afraid of what she might find if she let herself look too closely, so she kept her distance, both physically and emotionally.

her touch, too, became something of the past. where once she had hesitated only to give in, to seek the comfort of your presence, to let her hand linger on your arm or her fingers brush against yours, now there was a deliberate space between you. it was as if nothing had ever happened, as if the kiss you shared was a figment of your imagination, a fleeting dream that faded in the harsh light of day. she no longer reached for you, no longer found excuses to be close, and the absence of her touch felt like a loss you couldn’t quite put into words. it was a quiet withdrawal, a silent pulling away, and it left you feeling like you were standing on the edge of something you couldn’t see but feared falling into.

the silence between you was different now, heavier, filled with unspoken words and unacknowledged fears. and when she did speak, it was often to break that silence with facts you hadn’t asked for, facts about religion and god that seemed to come out of nowhere, yet you knew exactly where they were coming from. “did you know,” she would begin, her voice too casual, too light, “that the bible says god will forgive any sin if you truly repent?” or, “did you know that people used to believe you could cure sickness by praying hard enough?”

you didn’t know how to respond, didn’t know how to tell her that you didn’t want to hear these things, that they only served to widen the gap between you. so, you stayed quiet, nodding when she spoke, letting her words wash over you even as they made your heart ache. it felt like she was trying to convince herself of something, trying to find solace in these facts, trying to believe that there was a way to fix whatever it was she thought was broken.

then, she started praying. it was a quiet, almost secretive thing at first, something she did in the privacy of her room or in the stillness of the morning when she thought you were asleep. but you heard her, the soft murmur of her voice as she whispered her prayers, the way her words were tinged with desperation, with a longing you couldn’t quite place. and then one day, you heard her say it aloud, her voice trembling with emotion. “i want to be cured,” she said, her words hanging in the air like a plea.

you didn’t know what she was referring to, didn’t know if she meant the grief over her mother or something else entirely. but the way she said it, the way her voice cracked on the word “cured,” sent a chill through you. you wanted to reach out to her, to ask her what she meant, to offer her comfort, but something in the way she spoke, in the way she seemed so lost in her thoughts, stopped you. all you could do was listen in silence, watching her as she prayed for something you couldn’t give her, something that felt like it was slipping further out of reach with every passing day.

the lighter became her constant companion, a small, seemingly insignificant object that she kept with her at all times. you would see her sitting at the piano, her fingers absentmindedly flicking the lighter on and off, the small flame dancing in front of her as if mocking her, taunting her with its ephemeral nature. you noticed how her eyes would fixate on the flame, how she seemed almost hypnotized by it, as if it held some kind of answer she was searching for. and then one day, you saw her burn herself.

it happened so quickly, so quietly, that at first you didn’t even realize what had happened. ahe was sitting at the piano, the lighter in her hand as usual, when the flame touched her skin. there was a small hiss, the smell of burnt flesh, and you gasped, your heart leaping into your throat. but she didn’t react. she didn’t even flinch. she just sat there, staring at the small burn on her hand as if it were nothing, as if it didn’t hurt. you didn’t know if it had been an accident or if she had done it on purpose, but the way she remained so calm, so detached, made your blood run cold.

when she played the piano now, there was no emotion in it, no feeling, no passion. the notes were correct, the technique flawless, but there was something missing, something vital that had once been there but was now lost. the music felt empty, hollow, like a shell of what it used to be. it was as if she was going through the motions, playing the notes because she knew them, not because she felt them. and every time you heard her play, it broke your heart a little more, because you knew how much the piano had once meant to her, how much joy it had brought her. but now, it was just another thing that had been tainted, another thing that had been lost in the wake of whatever it was she was going through.

you wanted to fix it, to fix her, to bring her back to the person she used to be, the person who had smiled at you, who had kissed you, who had held your hand. but the more you tried, the more it felt like she was slipping away, like she was fading into something you couldn’t reach, something you couldn’t save. and you didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how to hold on to something that was already broken. because when something breaks, you’re supposed to let go of it, to move on, to find something new. but you couldn’t. all you wanted to do was fix it, to fix her, to make everything right again. but the more you tried, the more it hurt, and the less it showed.

the days had grown longer, more drawn out, and more painful, as joohyun drifted further away from the person you once knew. it was late in the afternoon when she finally mentioned the bonfire party. her voice was flat, almost disinterested, as if she was announcing something mundane, like a change in the weather. “there’s a bonfire party by the sea tonight,” she said, not even looking up from the lighter she had been fiddling with.

you glanced up from where you were sitting, a pang of worry twisting in your chest. the idea of a bonfire, of flames and alcohol mixed with the volatile state she had been in lately, sent alarms ringing through your mind. “maybe it isn’t a good idea to go,” you suggested carefully, trying to keep your voice steady. “the fire, it might provoke you even more.”

but joohyun paid no mind to your concern. ahe shrugged, a faint, almost bitter smile playing on her lips as she slipped the lighter into her pocket. “i’m fine,” she insisted, her voice cold, distant. “we’re going. it’ll be fun.” her insistence made your heart sink. she had been drawn to all the wrong things lately, claiming that she was on the right path, that she knew what she was doing, but you both knew that wasn’t true. there was a coldness in her now, a recklessness that hadn’t been there before. she clung to the lighter like a lifeline, a small object that had once meant something, had once been a reminder of who she was. but now, it was just another piece of who she had lost.

you knew it was useless to argue, so you sighed and nodded, deciding to go with her. maybe if you were there, you could keep her safe, keep her from doing something she would regret. the night air was cool as you walked down to the beach together, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore filling the silence between you. the sky was dark, the stars barely visible through the haze of clouds, and the smell of salt and seaweed filled the air.

the bonfire was already roaring by the time you arrived, a towering inferno of orange and red that cast long shadows across the sand. people were gathered around it, laughing, talking, drinking, the flickering light playing across their faces. you felt out of place, like you didn’t belong here, like the fire was too bright, too intense. but joohyun walked forward without hesitation, drawn to the flames like a moth, her eyes fixed on the fire as if it held some kind of answer she was searching for.

you followed her, your heart heavy with worry as you watched her grab a drink and down it quickly, almost desperately. she was drinking more than you had thought she would, more than you had ever seen her drink before. the sight of it made you uneasy, and you reached out to gently touch her arm. “joo,” you murmured, your voice barely audible over the crackling of the fire. “maybe you shouldn’t drink so much.”

ahe brushed off your concern with a careless wave of her hand, not even bothering to look at you. “i’m fine,” she repeated, her words slurred slightly, the alcohol already beginning to take hold. she took another drink, and you bit your lip, watching her closely, trying to keep an eye on her, to make sure she didn’t go too far.

as the night wore on, you could tell she had had too much. you could see it in the way her movements became sluggish, her steps unsteady, and the way her arm suddenly wrapped around your shoulders, pulling you in close. you stiffened at the touch, your heart skipping a beat as you felt her warmth against you. you could smell the alcohol on her breath, sharp and pungent, and you knew that this wasn’t her, not really. it was the alcohol, the numbness she was trying to find at the bottom of the bottle.

but maybe, maybe it wasn’t. maybe this was what she wanted, maybe this was what she felt deep down, beneath the layers of confusion and pain. you wanted so desperately to believe it, to believe that this was real, that it wasn’t just the alcohol talking. so, you eased into her touch, letting your head rest against her shoulder, letting yourself pretend, just for a moment, that everything was okay, that she was still yours, that she still loved you, if she ever had.

you watched the fire together, the flames dancing and crackling, the heat of it warming your skin. but as you glanced up at her, you saw the way her eyes stared into the fire, hazy with alcohol, empty and distant. it was like she was somewhere else, lost in her own thoughts, her own pain. then, without warning, she pulled out the lighter again, flicking it on and off, the small flame dancing in front of her, taunting her, mocking her.

you had had enough. you leaned down and blew out the flame, your voice sharp and edged with frustration as you whispered, “one more time, joohyun. one more time, and you’ll die.”

she scoffed, but there was no humor in it, only a bitter resignation. she tucked the lighter away, her movements slow and deliberate, but she kept her arm around you, and you kept your head on her shoulder. you stayed like that as the party slowly began to die down, people leaving in pairs or small groups, until it was just the two of you left, the fire burning low, the night growing colder.

it was what you needed, the solitude, the quiet, just the two of you. but it wasn’t what you wanted. not like this. not with her so far away, so lost in her own darkness. you wanted to reach out to her, to pull her back, to tell her that it was okay, that you were still here, that you loved her. but you didn’t know how. you didn’t know if it would even matter. and then, she turned to face you, her eyes locking onto yours. your heart broke for her in that moment, seeing the pain, the confusion, the emptiness in her gaze. but you said nothing, the words stuck in your throat, your voice lost to the night.

she leaned in, her breath warm against your skin, and before you could react, before you could stop her, she kissed you. it was sudden, unexpected, and it sent a shock of electricity through your body. for a moment, you froze, unsure of what to do, unsure of what this meant. but then you gave in, your eyes fluttering shut as you kissed her back, your heart pounding in your chest.

her lips were soft, familiar, but there was a desperation to the kiss, a hunger that hadn’t been there before. it was as if she was trying to find something in you, something to hold on to, something to save her from herself. you kissed her back, your hand reaching up to cup her cheek, to pull her closer, to keep her from slipping away. “don’t do that,” you murmured against her lips, your voice cold, laced with fear and anger and something you couldn’t quite name. “god will see.”

she didn’t respond, didn’t pull away. Instead, she kissed you harder, her fingers tangling in your hair, her body pressing against yours. it was desperate, it was reckless, but it was all you had, all she had. if god was watching, if he was there, why did she feel so lonely? why did you?

the fire crackled beside you, the flames dying down, the night growing colder. but in that moment, nothing else mattered. all that mattered was her, and the way her lips felt against yours, the way she held on to you as if you were the only thing keeping her from falling apart. and maybe you were. but even as you kissed her, even as you let yourself get lost in her, you knew that it wasn’t enough. it would never be enough.

the drive back home was suffocating in its silence, the kind that gnawed at the edges of your thoughts, unraveling everything you had tried to keep together. the hum of the engine filled the void between you, and the rhythmic blink of the passing streetlights played across joohyun’s face, casting fleeting shadows that deepened the hollowness in her eyes. she stared out the window, her face expressionless, as if the night had drained her of everything she once was.

you kept your eyes on the road, your hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that your knuckles turned white. the kiss still lingered on your lips, a bitter reminder of what had happened by the fire. you wanted to speak, to say something that would break the tension, the uncertainty, the fear that had settled between you like an unwelcome guest. but the words wouldn’t come. you were afraid they might shatter whatever fragile connection you had left.

the drive felt endless, each minute stretching into eternity, but eventually, you pulled into the driveway, the car coming to a slow stop. joohyun made no move to get out, and for a moment, neither did you. you sat there in the darkness, the only sound the ticking of the cooling engine, the silence growing heavier with each passing second. finally, you sighed and unbuckled your seatbelt, opening the door and stepping out into the cool night air.

she followed you wordlessly, her movements slow, deliberate, as if she was moving through a dream. you unlocked the door and stepped inside, your heart heavy with the weight of everything unsaid, everything unresolved. you barely had time to close the door behind you before she was on you, her hands fisting in the fabric of your jacket as she pulled you in for a kiss.

it was different from the one by the fire, more intense, more desperate. she kissed you with a fervor that bordered on madness, her lips bruising against yours as if she was trying to drown out the world, to forget everything that had happened, everything that she was. your mind screamed at you to stop, to push her away, to tell her that this wasn’t right, that she wasn’t in her right mind. but your heart, traitorous and weak, told you to give in, to let her have this moment, to give her whatever she needed because you loved her.

you hesitated for a moment, your mind and heart warring within you, but when she bit down on your lower lip, a small, needy sound escaping her throat, you found yourself giving in. you wrapped your arms around her, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss as if you could somehow fuse your souls together, as if that could make everything better, could make everything make sense.

she broke the kiss only long enough to grab your hand, pulling you toward the stairs with a determination that left you breathless. you followed her, your heart pounding in your chest, your mind reeling from the intensity of it all. each step felt heavier than the last, your resolve crumbling with every passing second as you fought against the voice in your head that told you to stop, to say something, to pull away.

but you couldn’t. not when she was looking at you like that, her eyes filled with something you couldn’t quite name, something raw and desperate. she led you upstairs, her hand trembling slightly as she pushed open the door to her room. the moment you stepped inside, she was on you again, her lips crashing against yours as if she was afraid that if she let go, you would disappear.

your back hit the wall, and she pressed her body against yours, her hands moving to tangle in your hair, pulling you down for another searing kiss. you wanted to fight it, to tell her that this wasn’t right, that this wasn’t the way to fix what was broken between you. but you couldn’t find the strength to push her away. not when you loved her so much, not when you had been longing for her touch, her kiss, for so long.

she kissed you like she was trying to consume you, like she was trying to erase everything that had happened, everything that had been said, and you let her. you let her take what she needed, let her use you to fill the void inside her, because you knew that this was all you could give her now. you knew that once the night was over, once the passion had faded, she would go back to being distant, cold, unreachable. but for now, in this moment, she was yours, and you were hers, and that was enough.

you kissed her back with just as much intensity, your hands moving to hold her close, to keep her from slipping away from you. you poured all your love, all your pain, all your desperation into that kiss, trying to convey everything you couldn’t put into words. she responded in kind, her body trembling against yours as she kissed you with a fierceness that left you breathless.

you stumbled back toward the bed, your lips never leaving hers as you fell onto the mattress together. she moved over you, her hands roaming over your body with a desperation that sent shivers down your spine. you arched into her touch, your own hands tracing the contours of her body, memorizing every curve, every dip, every part of her that you loved so much.

when she kissed you again, it was slower, softer, as if she was savoring the moment, as if she was trying to make it last. you kissed her back, your hands cupping her face as you looked into her eyes, searching for something, anything, that would tell you that this was real, that this meant something. but her eyes were guarded, her expression unreadable, and it made your heart ache.

she pulled back slightly, her forehead resting against yours, her breath ragged as she whispered your name, her voice filled with a longing that broke you all over again. you wanted to say something, to tell her that you loved her, that you would always love her, no matter what. but the words stuck in your throat, and all you could do was kiss her again, hoping that she understood, hoping that she knew.

you reached down to unbutton her shirt, her skin hot and smooth beneath your fingertips. she helped you, her eyes never leaving yours as she peeled the fabric away, revealing the soft mounds of her breasts. you took one in your hand, feeling the weight of it, the warmth of her, the way her nipple hardened under your touch. she gasped, her eyes fluttering closed, and you took that as your cue to lean down and kiss her, to tease her nipple with your tongue until she was arching into you, her hands tightening in your hair.

you felt her hand slide down between your legs, her fingers tracing the line of your panties, and you knew she could feel how wet you were, how much you wanted her. you moaned against her neck, your hips bucking involuntarily. she smiled, a knowing smile that made your stomach flip. you pushed the negative thoughts aside, focusing instead on the way her hand felt against you, the way she was making you feel. you let your own hand slide down to her pants, undoing the button and zipper with trembling fingers. you slipped your hand inside, feeling the heat of her, the dampness of her underwear. she was just as eager as you, and that was all that mattered right now.

you pulled her closer, grinding against her, the friction sending waves of pleasure through your body. she groaned, her hand moving to match your rhythm, her other hand sliding up to cup your breast. you could feel yourself getting closer, your body tightening, your breath hitching. you didn’t know how much longer you could take this, how much longer you could keep pretending that everything was okay, that this was what you both wanted.

you reached down to pull her pants off, your own following shortly after. you lay there, in the darkness, skin to skin, heart to heart, your bodies intertwined as you kissed and touched each other with a passion that was almost painful. it was as if you were trying to hold on to something that was slipping through your fingers, something that was never truly yours to begin with.

you felt her hand move between your legs, her fingers delving into your wetness, exploring you with a hunger that left you breathless. you gasped, your hips rising to meet her touch as she began to rub slow circles around your clit. you reached down to do the same to her, feeling the slickness of her arousal, the heat of her desire.

the room was spinning, the only anchor in the darkness her eyes, locked on yours, her pupils dilated with lust. your breath mingled, your hearts pounded in sync as you both lost yourself in the moment. you didn’t know how much longer you could hold on to the facade, the lie that this was just two friends sharing a drunken mistake, that it didn’t mean anything more.

you pushed aside the thoughts, focusing instead on the feel of her, the taste of her, the sound of her breath hitching as you slid a finger inside her. she was tight, so tight, and so wet. you felt a thrill of power, of need, knowing that you could make her feel this way, knowing that she was just as lost in this as you were. you kissed her again, deep and needy, as you felt her hand slip down to mirror your own movements, her finger sliding into you, filling you, stretching you. you moaned into her mouth, the pleasure building, coiling tighter and tighter, threatening to consume you.

you rolled over, breaking the kiss, and pulled her on top of you, wrapping your legs around her hips. she sat up, straddling you, her breasts bouncing gently as she began to rock against your hand. you watched her, the flicker of the dying fire casting shadows across her face, her eyes half-closed in ecstasy. it was the most beautiful, heartbreaking thing you had ever seen.

you reached up to cup her breasts, feeling the weight of them in your hands, your thumbs teasing her nipples as she moved against you. she leaned down, her breath hot against your neck as she whispered, “don’t tell anyone, okay? i’m not—i’m not like that. i don’t do this.”

you nodded, your heart breaking a little more with each word. you didn’t care what she said, what she thought. all you knew was that you loved her, and this was what she needed, what you both needed, for now. so you held on, you gave her what she wanted, you let her use you as she sought refuge in the one place she thought she could never be found. you felt the tension building in her body, her muscles tensing, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps. you knew she was close, so close. you curled your fingers inside her, finding that perfect spot, and she let out a cry, her body convulsing with the force of her orgasm.

you held her as she came down, her head resting on your shoulder, her breath hot and ragged against your skin. for a moment, you felt like everything was right in the world, like the universe had aligned and all was well. but when she pulled away, her eyes filled with tears, you knew that wasn’t true.

she rolled off you, onto her back, her chest heaving with the aftermath of pleasure and pain. she was crying, silent tears that rolled down her cheeks and into the pillow. you reached out to wipe them away, but she flinched, her eyes snapping open to look at you.

“i don’t wanna go to hell,” she whispered, her voice thick with regret. “i don’t wanna burn.”

you swallowed hard, your own eyes burning with unshed tears. you knew it was a mistake for her, that she didn’t love you the way you loved her. but you couldn’t bring yourself to say it, to acknowledge the truth that was staring you in the face. so instead, you kissed her again, hoping that maybe, just maybe, you could change her mind, that maybe she would see what you saw, feel what you felt. but she didn’t. she pulled away, sitting up and reaching for her clothes. you watched her, your heart in your throat, as she dressed in the darkness, her movements jerky and frantic. she didn’t look at you as she left the room, leaving you alone with the dying embers of the fire and the cold, hard truth of what had just happened.

you curled up on the bed, pulling the covers around you, trying to hold in the sobs that threatened to escape. you told yourself it didn’t mean anything, that it was just a drunken mistake. but deep down, you knew it did. every touch, every kiss, every stroke of her hand over your skin had been a silent confession of love, a love that she was too afraid to admit, even to herself. you lay there in the darkness, the room spinning with a mix of emotions: passion, pain, and a love so strong it hurt. you felt empty without her, as if she had taken a piece of you with her when she left. the smell of her perfume lingered in the air, taunting you with memories of her touch. you wanted to call out to her, to tell her how much you loved her, but you knew it would only push her further away.

so you cried, letting the tears fall silently onto the pillow. you cried for the love you had lost, for the love you never had. you cried for the girl who was so lost in her own beliefs, her own fears, that she couldn’t see what was right in front of her. and you cried for yourself, for the girl who had given her heart away so easily, only to have it shattered in return.

you woke with tears in your eyes, but you didn’t notice them. what you did notice, as your consciousness gradually returned, was the empty space beside you. the sheets on joohyun’s side were cold, the pillow untouched, as if she had never been there at all. your heart sank at the sight, a hollow ache blooming in your chest. the events of the night before felt distant, like a dream that you desperately wanted to hold onto but was slipping through your fingers with each passing second.

you forced yourself to sit up, your body feeling heavier than usual, the weight of reality pressing down on you like a leaden blanket. you noticed a small piece of paper on her pillow, a note, its presence both alarming and foreboding. with trembling fingers, you picked it up, your breath catching in your throat as you unfolded it.

the words were simple, written in joohyun’s neat, delicate handwriting: “i’ve gone to church.”

the heartbreak hit you like a freight train, a pain so deep and all-encompassing that it threatened to drown you. your vision blurred, the tears you hadn’t realized were there spilling over and streaking down your cheeks. you wanted to scream, to cry out, to demand an explanation, but there was no one there to hear you. the silence in the room was deafening, the emptiness around you suffocating.

you moved through the motions of getting dressed as if on autopilot, your mind numb to everything but the ache in your chest. you pulled on your clothes with trembling hands, the fabric rough against your skin, a stark contrast to the warmth you had felt the night before. you caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror as you brushed your teeth, the sight of your own tear-streaked face making your stomach churn. you looked like a ghost, a hollow shell of the person you had been, and you hated it.

you forced yourself to move to the kitchen, the routine of making coffee providing a small, temporary distraction from the storm raging inside you. the familiar scent filled the air, but it did nothing to calm your nerves, nothing to ease the pain that gnawed at your insides. you took a sip of the hot, bitter liquid, but it tasted like ash on your tongue. everything felt wrong, out of place, as if the world had shifted beneath your feet and you were left stumbling in the dark.

when you heard the door open, your heart skipped a beat, a rush of emotions flooding through you all at once. joohyun stepped inside, the soft click of the door shutting behind her echoing in the quiet house. for a moment, she just stood there, her eyes meeting yours from across the room. there was a flicker of something in her gaze, something that mirrored the turmoil in your own heart, but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared.

neither of you said a word. the silence stretched between you, heavy and suffocating, like a barrier you couldn’t break through. you wanted to ask her where she had been, what she was thinking, if she remembered what had happened between you the night before. but you didn’t. you couldn’t. the words were lodged in your throat, choked by the fear of what her answer might be.

days passed, and she grew colder, more distant with each one. she stopped looking at you the way she used to, stopped touching you, stopped asking for your touch. it was as if nothing had ever happened between you, as if the kisses, the whispered words, the warmth you had shared were nothing more than figments of your imagination. the only time she spoke was to break the silence with more random facts about religion, about god, as if she was trying to convince herself of something, as if she was trying to drown out whatever it was that haunted her.

the lighter she carried with her had become a constant companion, a small, seemingly insignificant object that had taken on a sinister presence in your lives. she flicked it on and off, the tiny flame dancing before her eyes as she stared at it with an intensity that frightened you. “joohyun, you can’t keep doing this,” you had pleaded one day, your voice trembling with the weight of your concern, your love, your desperation. “please, talk to me. tell me what’s going on.”

but she had pushed you away, her eyes cold, distant, a look of resignation on her face. “there’s nothing to talk about,” she had said, her voice flat, emotionless. “this is just the way things are now.”

“no, it’s not,” you had cried, your voice cracking with the intensity of your emotions. “we can fix this. we can—” but she had cut you off again, her tone final, unyielding. “there’s nothing to fix.”

and so the days passed, each one more painful than the last. you tried to hold on, tried to be there for her, tried to reach her, but every time you got close, she pushed you away. the more you loved her, the colder she became, until you were left with nothing but the empty shell of the person you once knew.

then, one day, you couldn’t take it anymore. the anger, the frustration, the heartbreak had built up to the point where it was suffocating, choking you, leaving you gasping for air. when she came back from church that day, you were waiting for her, your heart pounding in your chest, your emotions swirling inside you like a storm.

as she walked past you, her shoulder brushed against yours, a touch so brief and so cold that it felt like a slap in the face. you reached out, grabbing her hand, desperate to make her stop, to make her listen. “joohyun, please,” you begged, your voice trembling with the weight of your emotions.

but she pulled her hand back, her eyes flashing with anger, with something darker that you couldn’t quite name. “don’t touch me,” she snapped, her voice cold, cutting. you felt the words like a punch to the gut, the pain so sharp, so intense that it left you breathless. “where did it all go wrong?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. “how could you do this to me? to us?”

ahe shook her head, her eyes hard, unyielding. “i won’t give in,” she said, her voice steady, resolute. “i won’t taint my soul.”

the words were like a knife to your heart, the final, brutal blow that shattered whatever hope you had left. you should have prayed. prayed for her to come back to you, prayed for her to love you the way she used to, but you couldn’t. instead, you spoke the truth that had been burning inside you for so long. “you’re already tainted.”

the words hung in the air between you, heavy, damning, and for a moment, you saw something flicker in her eyes. hurt, anger, regret—you couldn’t tell. but then her expression hardened, and before you could react, she punched you in the face. the force of the blow sent you stumbling back, pain exploding across your cheek, but you didn’t hit her back. you couldn’t. Instead, you reached out, clinging to her, pulling her into a hug, desperate to hold onto the last piece of her that was still yours.

for a moment, just a brief, fleeting moment, she softened in your arms. you felt it, the warmth that had been missing for so long, the connection that you had been longing for. but it was gone just as quickly as it came, replaced by the cold, unyielding wall she had built around herself. she shoved you away, her eyes burning with a fury that terrified you, and she punched you again, harder this time, sending you crashing to the floor.

you wanted to fight back, wanted to hit her, scream at her, demand to know why she was doing this, but all you could do was reach for her again. when you saw it, the look in her eyes, the confirmation that she wasn’t herself anymore—that was when you gave in, when it was your fist’s turn to collide with her face. and it did, the force of it sending her flying backwards, but you couldn't bear the sight of her, your heart breaking with every breath you took. you pulled her into another hug, your arms wrapping around her like a lifeline, but she shoved you away with a force that left you breathless. she walked out of the house without another word, the door slamming behind her, leaving you lying on the floor, broken and bleeding, the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on you.

you walked aimlessly through the empty streets, the pain in your jaw a dull throb that seemed to echo with every step you took. the bruises were a physical manifestation of the heartbreak that had shattered you from the inside out. the day had bled into dusk, the sky a muted canvas of purples and blues, the fading light doing little to ease the darkness settling in your heart.

the world around you felt distant, as if you were drifting through a dream you couldn’t wake from. your mind was a jumbled mess of thoughts and emotions, each one more conflicting than the last. you wandered without purpose, each step heavy with a weariness that went beyond physical exhaustion. the weight of everything that had happened pressed down on you, leaving you feeling empty and hollow.

you barely noticed the bump against your shoulder, the sharp sting of it cutting through your daze. it was only when a group of girls appeared, their faces a blur of anger and disdain, that you began to register the reality of your situation. they grabbed you roughly, pulling you back into a narrow alleyway, their hands striking you with a force that felt almost detached from the pain you were already feeling.

you didn’t fight back. the instinct to defend yourself, to protect what little was left, had long since faded. you let the blows land, each one a reminder of your own helplessness, a cruel echo of the turmoil raging inside you. the cold brick wall pressed into your back, the texture of it rough and unyielding against your skin. blood dripped from your chin, mingling with the grime of the alleyway, but you simply let it fall.

they continued their assault, their voices a cacophony of angry shouts that blurred into the background noise of the city. You heard them, but their words felt distant, like they were coming from another world. the realization that you didn’t care anymore, that you were willing to let it all end, was almost a relief. the bruises and the blood were physical manifestations of a deeper, more profound pain—a pain that you had long since accepted as part of your existence.

eventually, the girls left, their anger spent, leaving you slumped against the wall, barely able to lift your head. the alleyway was silent again, save for the distant hum of traffic and the occasional murmur of voices from the street. you pushed yourself upright, the effort making your body ache even more, but you didn’t have the strength to stay on your feet. you wandered aimlessly until you reached the middle of the street, your movements slow and unsteady. the world around you was a blur, the streetlights casting long, eerie shadows that danced across the pavement. the light of an approaching car caught your eye, so vivid among the darkness that had engulfed you.

you turned your head, the light from the car seeming almost to beckon you, a final, fleeting hope that perhaps something might change. but before you could process the thought, you felt the impact, a sudden, jarring collision that sent you sprawling across the asphalt. the world went black, the pain and the cold merging into a numb void that swallowed you whole. in those final moments, as consciousness slipped away, you thought to yourself. the light of the car, so bright, so welcoming. had it not been for the car, for the collision, you would've aasumed it was god. you would've assumed that it was your turn to see the light, the one that led you to the right path. a glimmer of light, a brief flash of salvation that never truly materialized. you thought, perhaps, that it was god, or fate, or some form of cosmic justice finally reaching out to you. but if there was a higher power, if there was anyone watching over you, they had chosen not to intervene. you had been loved, you thought, but not enough to be saved.

joohyun paced through the house, the remnants of alcohol and broken memories scattered across the rooms like ghosts of a past she could no longer escape. she moved mechanically, her movements driven by a frantic need to impose order on a chaos that had seeped into her very being. the empty cups, the overturned bottles—she swept them away with a fervor that bordered on madness. maybe, she thought, if she cleaned up the mess around her, she could purge the turmoil inside her. the scent of your presence lingered in every corner, an indelible reminder of the love she had been too broken to embrace fully.

as she scrubbed the surfaces, the stench of stale alcohol mixed with the acrid tang of her own tears. the house, once a sanctuary of shared moments and quiet intimacy, now felt like a prison of her own making. the realization that you had left and had not come back struck her like a physical blow. the emptiness of the space was a constant reminder of her failure, a space filled with echoes of laughter and affection now gone silent.

in a fit of frustration, her emotions erupted violently. she slammed her hands onto the table, its sturdy surface buckling under the force of her anger. dishes clattered to the floor, their shards adding to the chaos that had taken over. she pulled at her hair, the disheveled strands a physical manifestation of the mess in her mind. ahe stumbled into your room, her breath coming in ragged gasps. the sight of the piano, the once-beautiful instrument that had been a source of solace and joy, filled her with a wave of guilt and rage. with a sob of anguish, she attacked the piano. her fists pounded against the keys, each strike producing a cacophony of dissonant notes that seemed to scream her sorrow. the sound of the keys breaking and the strings snapping was a mournful dirge, one that echoed her internal devastation.

eventually, the piano fell silent, its music stilled. joohyun collapsed onto the floor, her energy spent, her body trembling from the effort and the tears. she was surrounded by the debris of her actions, the fragments of the piano and the shattered remains of the table forming a grim tapestry around her. the realization that she had driven away the one person who had loved her enough to try to save her was a crushing weight on her chest.

her gaze fell upon the lighter, the object that had once been a symbol of her independence and now a grim reminder of her inability to cope. it was the same lighter you had given her, its initials faded but still recognizable. with a numb resignation, she found herself tearing the closet door open. she knew it held everything she needed, sooner or later. in this case, now.

it was the precise reason she took the red tank in her hands, unscrewing the cap and getting a whiff of the pungent stench. she didn’t hesitate as she poured the gasoline around the room, the liquid sloshing and hissing as it spread. the smell of it mingled with the lingering scent of the alcohol, creating a nauseating cocktail that filled the air.

she sat on your side of the bed, her eyes fixated on the lighter. for a moment, she held it in her hand, the metal cold and heavy. she felt as if she were waiting for a sign, for some miracle to pull her back from the edge, but none came. no one was coming to save her from the end she had chosen. she had ruined her life, and yours too. it was a final act of defiance against the pain that had consumed her.

with a shaky breath, she tossed the lighter into the pool of gasoline. the flames ignited almost immediately, a brilliant, consuming blaze that spread rapidly through the room. joohyun watched, her face illuminated by the fiery glow, the warmth of the flames a contrast to the cold despair that had enveloped her. as the fire grew, so did her sense of finality. the flames danced and roared, consuming everything in their path. she sat amidst the chaos, her eyes vacant as she let the fire spread. she had become the sinner she felt herself to be, and now she had a hell of her own making. the house, once a place of memories and love, was now a testament to her ultimate surrender.

even as the fire spread, she could still see you. as her skin began to grow warm, all it did was remind her of your touch. nothing could compare to it, not even when her life was on the line. she had tried to be good for so long, but everything had finally come to an end. she had dreamt of a heaven, just to live in a hell of her own. it made her sick, it made her stomach churn. maybe this was how her mother felt. alone, helpless. maybe she died without a care in the world. that was how joohyun wanted to go out, without any pressure. but even as she laid back onto the bed, her fingers caressing your side, there was nothing but pressure. it wasn't the pressure of the fire’s warmth, but of the bed’s coldness. your side was still cold, as if the fire had died down, but it didn’t. and it wouldn't.

she let the fire engulf her surroundings, the smoke curling around her like a shroud. she didn’t move, didn’t try to escape. she was beyond redemption, beyond saving. she had chosen her fate, and as the flames reached towards the ceiling, she finally accepted that no one could save her from herself.

✧.*

a/n: this is a work of fiction and i had not intended on, not in a single moment, offending anybody. with that being said, if anybody feels offended by any aspect, let me know and the story will be deleted

https://www.tumblr.com/keehomania/759550313251373056/i-live-in-constant-irrational-fear-that-ill-wake?source=share

Hi there: Just wanted to reach out to say you're not alone, I have had these thoughts too. I keep telling myself to get a grip and I'm over-reacting but there have been moments in the past couple of weeks when I've been sick with dread because the whole thing seemed to be spiraling out of control. Since the real CCTV footage was released, I've been feeling much better, but there's still that police interview to get through, which looks like it could be a disgusting circus.

But I'm sure Yoongi has excellent lawyers. No matter what kind of garbage the press gins up, his infraction shouldn't merit more than a fine and a temporary license revocation. The press can go fuck itself. Once he's settled things with the police, they've got nothing except hot air. And I hope at least some of these outlets (JTBC especially) get sued into bankruptcy.

Yoongi has a lot of people who love him, people who know him...and us, too. That's got to count for something. We can all support each other and send him all of our love and good energy. Our boy will get through this and in less than a year they'll all be out of the service and together again and this will be forgotten. In the meantime, please don't obsessively look for updates on the story, because you'll just see a lot of trashy, sensationalized clickbait that makes all of this look a lot worse than it actually is. The future's gonna be okay. :)

i'm so happy to hear somebody so level-headed and collected. the cctv footage was such a slap in the face to koreaboo and i loved it, but i really can't bring myself to get over the fact that so many people step on their necks. i've been here since 2015 and they've overcome so many things, it's insane. i've only had two occasions where i've truly feared for them, because they're always open about deflecting hate and such. jimin being body-shamed and receiving death threats was the first time i truly felt scared, only because of how young he was and how heartbroken he looked. this is the second time because suicide is so normalized in sk and their mental health awareness is a joke. jonghyun passed and almost 7 years later, no one seemed to learn anything from that and it breaks my heart

BONES & ALL (본즈 앤 올) (DRABBLE)

✧.* 16+

it was raw. not in the way you snacked on maraschino cherries under the sunlight in rome, not in the way the sweetness lingered on your tongue, dripping with a saccharine aftertaste that reminded you of summer. no, this was different—primal, almost. it was a love that bared its teeth, stripped of pretense, of pleasantries, and of the gentle touches that polite society deemed proper. it demanded everything and gave in return, not in delicate whispers or soft kisses, but in the pounding of your heart that seemed to echo in your very bones.

it wasn’t just the physical that made this love different. it was the connection that ran deeper than words, deeper than thought. in the silence, when the world around you fell away, you could feel—every hope, every fear, every dark corner of his soul he had kept hidden from the rest of the world. and you knew, in that silence, that you were the only one who could ever truly understand him. it was a love that was terrifying in its intensity, but you welcomed it. you welcomed the way it tore through you, leaving you exposed and vulnerable, because it also made you feel more alive than you had ever been. you wanted to bask in it, to let it consume you until there was nothing left but the two of you, tangled together in a world of your own making. this love was not pretty; it was not sweet or delicate. it was raw.

“i can’t do it,” you whispered, the words catching in your throat, choked by the weight of the moment. the tears had come without warning, slipping down your cheeks as if they’d been waiting for this very moment, mingling with the metallic scent of blood that hung in the air, thick and intoxicating. it wasn’t a stench—not to you, not now. it was a need, a desperate, consuming need that gnawed at the edges of your sanity, twisting your insides with a sickening blend of hunger and revulsion.

you hated yourself for it. hated the way your tongue darted out to lick your lips, seeking out that taste you shouldn’t crave, that bitter tang that made your head swim and your heart race. but it was there, undeniable, just as yoongi was there, his presence overwhelming, consuming. he was smiling, though it was a fragile thing, a ghost of the smirks you’d come to know so well. his eyes, however, betrayed him—heavy with sorrow, thick with tears that he refused to let fall, not now, not when he knew the end was upon him.

the angel of death had come for him, ready to collect the debt yoongi had long known he owed. and yet, as his hands—cold as death itself, as if they’d been left in the freezer to chill—came up to cradle your face, he looked at you with such tenderness, such raw, unfiltered love, that you almost believed he could still be saved. his fingers trembled slightly, brushing over your skin with a gentleness that belied the ferocity of his final moments, smearing his blood across your cheeks in a macabre caress. it was a final gesture, one that held a dark, twisted irony, a taunt almost. he wanted to feel you, to mark you, to leave a piece of himself on you even as his life slipped away. more so, he wanted you to give in.

you looked at him, really looked at him, and it struck you just how beautiful he was in this moment. he had never looked better, never seemed more alive, more vulnerable. more raw. his blood, his very essence, painted across your skin—he was both the artist and the masterpiece, and you were the canvas upon which he’d chosen to leave his final mark. the thought made your heart clench, your stomach twist in knots of guilt and desire.

“you have to,” he whispered, his voice a strained rasp, the words heavy with an unspoken plea. his breath was ragged, his strength waning, yet he used the last of it to press his forehead against yours. his eyes searched yours, seeking something—maybe reassurance, maybe a promise, maybe just the comfort of knowing that you were still there, with him, even as everything else slipped away. his scent, that familiar, intoxicating scent, filled your senses, clouding your mind until all you could focus on was him—his blood, his skin, his very presence that clung to you like a second skin.

you gritted your teeth, sobbing uncontrollably, the sound raw and guttural, torn from the depths of your soul. you wanted to focus on his touch, the way his hands felt against your skin, the way his breath ghosted over your lips, but all you could think about was his scent—how it enveloped you, how it lingered in the air like a dark, forbidden perfume.

“you have to do it,” he said again, his voice cracking, betraying the emotion he’d tried so hard to keep at bay. his eyes bore into yours, pleading, desperate. “bones and all.”

it wasn’t a command—it was a wish, a dying wish that hung in the air between you like a weight too heavy to bear. he wanted you to take him, to consume him in every way possible, to make him a part of you even in death. he could go, he could let himself slip away into the darkness, knowing that the last thing he’d given you was all of him—every broken, bleeding piece.

you had him—had him this whole time, but it wasn’t enough. he wanted you to go all the way, to take him in, bones and all, until there was nothing left but the memory of him that would haunt you forever. even in death, he wanted to be yours, to be the reason your stomach churned, the reason your tears fell, the reason you felt sick to your stomach with the taste of him on your tongue, the reason you cried out in agony as you tasted the last remnants of him on your lips. being in your heart wasn’t enough, loving you wasn’t enough. you would become one.

he wouldn't fight it, no matter how much it had hurt. he wouldn't fight the way his skin tore, his wound already ran deep enough. it could run even deeper if it was for you, he knew you too well. he knew you would give in, especially for him. he would tell you tear him apart, he would let you do anything. he made you hungry. if you took his finger, he would give you his arm. to love is to consume, every bit of it. his bones would crunch under the weight of your love. it was raw. it was love. how he loved it when you held his hands with your teeth, stripping every layer of the body that was now yours. how he loved it when you kissed his teeth, instead of his lips. there would be no leftovers, nothing to be thrown out. he was yours, in every sense. his lips had always been sweet, you thought. even as they bled crimson, every drop tasted like honey on your tongue.

no matter how gently you opened him, the blood would still taint your flesh, your heart, your soul. his heart had stopped beating long ago, but it didn't matter. it didn’t need to beat to love you, to belong to you. it needed to be consumed. he was tough—tougher than you’d ever imagined, tougher than you’d ever wanted to know. the feeling of him in your mouth only confirmed the thought—he was tough. he was tougher on the outside than the inside. and yet, even now, you didn’t want to hurt him. you never had. but how could he hurt? how could he feel anything but peace, knowing that he was yours, that you had him, bones and all?

✧.*

three words (세 마디) – kim taehyung (김 태형)

✧.* WC: 17.1K

✧.* SYN: white lines and white lies, loose ends and fake friends. money used to be the answer to all of your problems, but some problems just can’t be solved with money. some problems just can’t be solved at all.

✧.* 18+

the problems in your world were unlike those that others faced, but that wasn't entirely your fault. your life had always been a carefully curated mess, the kind that looked almost intentional. too many bottles of wine with names you could never quite pronounce, too many hits of something green that seemed to belong more in your hand than in anyone else’s, where it would have looked trashy, almost vulgar. white lines on glass tables and white lies whispered between teeth stained with the residue of indulgence. loose ends frayed in the chaos of your existence, each one tied to another false friend, another empty promise.

you had lived your life this way for as long as you could remember, drifting through the haze of late nights that bled into mornings, pretending that the simplicity you yearned for was just around the next corner, or at the bottom of the next glass. But somewhere along the line, the neat lines of your carefully managed chaos had tangled into something more sinister.

when had it all gotten so complicated? you couldn’t pinpoint the moment when the scales tipped, when the balance between indulgence and destruction tilted beyond repair. what was once a game of excess and appearances had become a reality that you no longer recognized, a world where the choices you made were no longer yours, where the control you once held slipped through your fingers like sand.

you found yourself lost in thought, tracing the thread of chaos back to its origins, trying to pinpoint the moment when everything had lost its rhythm. it was like trying to grasp smoke, the memories slipping through your fingers, elusive yet haunting. you had lived in the center of that storm for so long that it was hard to recall when the clouds had first gathered, but one memory stood out, crystallized in the haze of everything that followed.

it was an evening like so many others, the sky a muted shade of gray, as if even the heavens had grown weary. taehyung had been strolling alongside jungkook, his stride easy and unhurried, a joint dangling carelessly between his fingers. there was a sense of freedom in the way he moved, as if he belonged to the world in a way that you never quite could.

jungkook had been quieter than usual, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. he had scoffed, almost playfully, as taehyung brought the joint to his lips. “you’ve been smoking way too much, dude,” he had said, a hint of concern buried beneath the teasing. but taehyung had only shot him a look, one of those lazy, knowing smirks that always seemed to hide more than they revealed. without a word, he offered the joint to jungkook, his eyes gleaming with a challenge that only they could understand.

of course, he took it. it was a ritual, a shared understanding between them, one that you had never fully grasped. as he inhaled deeply, letting the smoke curl in his lungs, taehyung had watched him closely, a slight tilt to his head as if he were assessing something. “you look like you could use it,” he had remarked, the words almost too casual, laced with an undercurrent of genuine curiosity. there was a pause, a moment where the world seemed to still, before he asked, “what’s on your mind?”

jungkook had sighed, the sound heavy with something unspoken, as he took another hit. he held the smoke in a second longer, as if drawing strength from it, before exhaling slowly and handing the joint back to taehyung. he could almost see the thoughts swirling behind his eyes, the way he wrestled with himself, trying to find the right words. when he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost resigned. “i made a mistake.”

taehyung had scoffed, the sound light and disbelieving. “the golden boy would never,” he had said, the nickname slipping from his tongue with a hint of sarcasm, as if the very idea was preposterous. but jungkook had only shaken his head, his steps faltering slightly as they continued down the street. “it’s really bad this time,” he had admitted, the words carrying a weight that was impossible to ignore.

that was when taehyung stopped, his usual nonchalance replaced by something far more serious. the easygoing smirk faded, replaced by a frown as he studied jungkook’s face, searching for something in his expression that would explain the sudden shift. without hesitation, taehyung had thrown the rest of the joint away, grinding it under his shoe with deliberate force, as if the act could somehow erase the gravity of the moment.

“jungkook,” he had said, his voice steady but laced with an uncharacteristic urgency, “what did you do?”

he had never seen fear in jungkook’s eyes before, not like that. it was raw, unguarded, a glimpse into a part of him that he rarely showed. the memory of that look had stayed with him, long after the moment had passed, seeping into his thoughts whenever you tried to piece together the fragments of his own life. it was there, in that fleeting second, that he realized how far you had all fallen, how deep the chaos had truly run. and yet, even then, none of you had fully understood it. not until it was too late.

the memory of your nineteenth birthday was etched into your mind, a night that had been meticulously planned, every detail tailored to perfection. you had orchestrated the entire event with the enthusiasm of someone who believed they could control the world, if only for one evening. with your best friend by your side and your mother’s credit card in hand, you had ensured that this night would be one to remember.

tzuyu had been eager, her energy contagious as she helped you plan every aspect of the celebration. you had noticed that she had been a bit off lately, her usual spark dimmed by something you couldn’t quite identify, but tonight, she seemed like her old self again. it was a relief to see her that way, smiling and carefree, and you were more than happy to indulge in the illusion that everything was fine.

the club had been your choice, a pulsating heartbeat of music and lights, where the world outside ceased to exist. the two of you had danced until the rhythm became a part of you, your movements in sync with the beat, as if the night itself was a celebration of your existence. the crowd, the noise, the flashing lights—all of it was a backdrop to the bond you shared, the laughter and the whispers that passed between you like secrets. when you finally left, it was with tzuyu by your side, the two of you slipping into the back of the sleek, black limo waiting outside. the city lights blurred into streaks of color as the car pulled away, and you reached for the champagne that had been chilling in the ice bucket. with a grin, you handed it to her, letting her take the honors.

ahe had popped the bottle with a delighted yelp, the sound of it echoing in the enclosed space. your laughter mingled with hers as she poured the bubbly liquid into two glasses, the bubbles rising like a cascade of stars. yhe glasses clinked softly as you raised them, her eyes sparkling with something akin to joy. “we should leave the boys some, too,” you had said, the words casual as you took a sip, the champagne crisp and cold against your tongue.

tzuyu’s head had snapped up at that, her expression shifting, her eyes searching yours. “the boys?” she echoed, the question hanging in the air between you. there was a pause, a slight hesitation before she continued, “taehyung and jungkook?”

you had nodded, the motion so natural, so obvious to you that you didn’t understand why she even questioned it. “yeah,” you replied, as if it were the most logical thing in the world. “would that be a problem?”

her laugh had been nervous, a sound that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “of course not,” she had answered quickly, almost too quickly, before turning her attention back to the champagne, refilling her glass with a focus that seemed a little too intense. the silence that followed was almost thick, hanging heavy in the air despite the supposed festivities. it was supposed to be a celebratory night, but the atmosphere had shifted, a subtle tension settling between you that hadn’t been there before.

it wasn’t long before the boys arrived, the limo door opening to reveal them stepping inside, their presence altering the dynamic instantly. taehyung slid in first, his eyes taking in the scene with a practiced ease, followed by jungkook, whose demeanor was noticeably subdued. you had immediately reached for him, wrapping your arms around his neck in a gesture that was as much habit as affection. your lips brushed against his cheek in a light kiss, a quiet greeting escaping your lips. “hey, baby.” he had returned the kiss, a brief peck on your cheek, but there was something off about it, a distance in the way he held himself, the way he didn’t say anything. you felt it, that something was missing, the usual warmth, the unspoken connection between you. his silence spoke volumes, filling the space with an unease you couldn’t ignore.

and then your eyes had met taehyung’s, a fleeting moment of eye contact that seemed to last longer than it should have. there was something in his gaze, something that made your heart skip a beat, an unsettling feeling that settled deep in your stomach. it was in that moment, in the way his eyes held yours, that you felt it—the weight of something unspoken, something just beyond your grasp, lingering in the air like a shadow. the atmosphere of the night had shifted, the joy and excitement tempered by a sense of unease that you couldn’t shake. whatever it was, you knew it had changed everything.

that night, as the champagne and the clamor of the club swirled together in a haze, you had found yourself slipping beyond the edge of reason. the celebratory atmosphere, once vibrant and intoxicating, had transformed into a foggy blur. the alcohol, your unwitting companion, had blurred the lines of your comprehension, rendering everything around you distant and distorted.

taehyung had been the first to notice your inebriated state, his concern barely masked beneath a veneer of casual detachment. the moment he saw you struggling to maintain your balance, his demeanor had shifted, becoming more focused and intent. jungkook and tzuyu, sensing the urgency of the situation, had both nodded in agreement when taehyung had offered to take you home. their willingness to step aside, allowing him to handle the responsibility, was tinged with a mixture of relief and reluctance.

as he guided you out of the limo and into the cool night air, you stumbled beside him, the world around you swaying unpredictably. his hand was steady on your back, offering a semblance of support as you leaned into him, your thoughts spilling out in slurred, incoherent fragments. “they’ve been acting so weird lately,” you had said, your voice thick with the weight of your inebriation. your feet fumbled with each step, nearly tripping over nothing, causing taehyung to steady himself as he guided you forward.

“who?” he had asked, his voice a mixture of concern and curiosity as he tried to keep you upright. “jungkook and tzuyu,” you had managed to articulate, the names coming out in a jumble. you had nearly taken him down with you, but he had managed to regain his footing, his grip on you firm and reassuring.

taehyung had sighed, a hint of bemusement in his tone as he responded, “yeah, they must be on their periods.” his attempt to lighten the situation with a touch of humor did little to quell the storm brewing inside you. you had leaned into his touch, seeking comfort as you stumbled along, his breath catching in his throat at the weight of the situation.

as you reached your building, taehyung had retrieved the keys from your purse, his movements steady despite the chaos around you. he had quietly opened the door and guided you inside, the familiar surroundings offering little solace in your disoriented state. his touch was gentle yet firm, leading you toward your room. when you collapsed onto your bed with a sigh, your hair tousled and makeup smeared, taehyung had settled beside you, his presence a steady anchor in the whirlwind of your emotions. the silence between you had been heavy, filled with unspoken words and unacknowledged truths.

“i’m sorry for not telling you sooner,” he had said, his voice breaking the silence with an unexpected vulnerability. his apology hung in the air, charged with an unspoken weight that you struggled to process. you had turned to him, your gaze unfocused yet searching, and asked quietly, “what do you mean?”

he had hesitated, the tension evident in the way he struggled to find the right words. “jungkook, he cheated on you with tzuyu,” he had finally admitted, his voice carrying the gravity of the confession. “it was for his nineteenth birthday, not too long ago. they both got drunk and let it happen.”

the words hit you like a physical blow, the shock of the revelation enough to make your stomach churn. you could hardly process the enormity of what you were hearing. your face remained a blank canvas, a mask of disbelief that hid the turmoil raging within. the shock and betrayal combined with the alcohol had caused you to heave, but you fought to keep your composure, even as a stray tear slipped down your cheek. taehyung had watched you with a look of genuine concern, his own face reflecting the weight of the confession. “are you okay?” he had asked softly, his eyes searching yours for a sign of how you were holding up.

you had nodded, your face still an inscrutable mask of calm. “of course i am,” you had said, your voice carrying a hollow edge. you had wiped the stray tear from your cheek, a gesture of self-reliance born from the realization that, ultimately, no one else would tend to your pain if not you. “i’m my mother’s daughter,” you had continued, the words dripping with a resigned bitterness. “what did i expect?”

the morning after the revelation had dawned on you with an oppressive weight, the remnants of sleep eluding you entirely. you had barely managed a few restless hours in the tangled sheets of your bed, your mind too frantic to find solace. the truth that taehyung had so courageously unveiled the night before replayed relentlessly in your thoughts. despite your own turmoil, you had promised him one thing: you wouldn’t tell a single soul it was he who had delivered the devastating news. he was the only one who had broken the silence, not your childhood boyfriend, not your childhood friend—just taehyung. that sense of betrayal, sharp and unrelenting, needed an outlet, and jungkook was the target.

you dialed his number with a resolve that left no room for hesitation. the message you left was terse and urgent, an unmistakable demand for his presence. the call was made with the singular intent of making him face what he had done. the hangover that should have plagued you was eclipsed by a burning rage that consumed every corner of your being, leaving no room for the dull ache of alcohol.

when jungkook finally arrived, his demeanor was casual, an oblivious ease that contrasted sharply with your seething anger. he knocked softly on the door before stepping in, and there you were, seated in the living room with an air of normalcy that belied the storm raging inside you. your robe was tightly wrapped around you, a newspaper spread over your lap, and a mimosa in your hand. the scene seemed almost serene, save for the smirk playing on your lips, a jarring anomaly in an otherwise composed setting.

jungkook’s gaze swept over you with a hint of confusion, his eyes scanning the room as he stepped inside. “what happened? is everything okay?” he asked, his voice laced with concern that felt out of place given the circumstances. you put the newspaper aside with deliberate calm, taking a leisurely sip of your mimosa. your tone was laced with a blandness that only partially masked the fury beneath. “why wouldn’t it be?” you responded, your voice a veil over the storm raging inside.

his confusion deepened as he took in your demeanor. “you made it sound like an emergency,” he said, his brow furrowing as he tried to reconcile your apparent calm with the urgency of your call. you rose from the couch, every movement purposeful as you approached him. “it is,” you said, your voice cutting through the air like a blade. the room seemed to contract around you, the tension thick and suffocating.

as you neared him, you gave him one last scrutinizing look, taking in the sight of his relaxed, oblivious smile. “i had a question for you,” you said, your voice steady, almost eerily calm. jungkook’s smile remained, a complacent grin that belied his confusion. “sure, babe, what is it?” he asked, the affectionate term coming out as a painful irony.

you looked at him, that smile of his igniting the flames of your anger further. and then, with a sudden, sharp movement, you struck him. the force of your hand colliding with his cheek was enough to silence him, to shock him into the reality of the situation. the impact left a stinging imprint, a physical manifestation of the emotional upheaval you were feeling.

“did you fuck her good?” you demanded, your voice low and cutting.

the words seemed to hang in the air, each syllable weighted with the pain and betrayal you felt. jungkook’s face shifted from shock to realization, his eyes widening as the gravity of your question sank in. his once relaxed demeanor shattered, his hands became frantic as he tried to piece together the situation. “please, listen to me,” he stammered, his voice breaking. “it was a mistake. it was a mistake!”

you mimicked his earlier sweet smile with an icy twist, the gesture as false as it was cruel. “i wouldn’t hear you out even if you kneeled,” you said, each word deliberate and final. “get out, before i call security.”

the command was clear, leaving no room for negotiation or apology. jungkook’s pleas continued, but they fell on deaf ears as you turned away, the finality of your words hanging in the air like a guillotine. the door clicked shut behind him, a sound that resonated with the finality of an ending. in the silence that followed, you were left alone with the remnants of your anger and betrayal. the echoes of his desperate voice faded, leaving you with nothing but the harsh reality of the situation and the unyielding truth that you would face alone.

the weight of your actions had not yet fully settled, but your resolve was unshakable. you moved with a determined grace, the anger fueling your every step. you discarded your robe with an almost clinical precision, the soft fabric slipping from your shoulders as you reached for something more fitting for your mission. the casual dress you chose clung to you with a casual elegance, but it was the leather jacket that completed your ensemble, draped over your shoulders like a mantle of defiance. you needed to make a statement, and every detail of your appearance was a deliberate choice, a symbol of your readiness to confront the chaos head-on.

the drive to tzuyu’s penthouse was swift, your mind focused solely on the confrontation that awaited. when you arrived, you were greeted by her mother, a vision of warmth and hospitality. her bright smile was so unlike the storm brewing within you. “oh, it’s so nice to see you!” she exclaimed, her cheerfulness almost disorienting. “tzuyu didn’t mention you were joining us for breakfast.”

you returned her smile with practiced ease, masking the turbulence beneath. “it’s wonderful to see you, too,” you said, the words coming out with a politeness that barely concealed your intentions. “i actually didn’t come for breakfast, though,” you continued, your tone slipping into a more measured calm. “i don’t have much of an appetite.”

with that, you bypassed her, moving swiftly toward the door that led to tzuyu’s room. you didn’t wait for an invitation or further pleasantries; you entered with purpose, your stride unwavering. tzuyu, sprawled on her bed in a state of groggy confusion, looked up with an expression of surprise that bordered on innocent. “what’s with the surprise visit?” she asked, her eyes wide with an almost childlike curiosity. “did you sober up?”

you smiled, a tight, controlled expression that belied the seething anger just beneath. “i’ve definitely sobered up,” you said, letting the words hang in the air with an edge of finality. “how about you?” she sighed, rubbing her eyes as if to clear the fog of the morning. “i’m still feeling a bit groggy,” she admitted, her voice trailing off into a yawn. her obliviousness was almost unbearable, a contrast to the storm you were about to unleash.

the moment was charged with a palpable tension. you could feel your hand twitching, a physical manifestation of the anger you could no longer contain. before you could second-guess yourself, you allowed your hand to collide with her cheek with a sharp, decisive smack. the sound of the impact reverberated in the room, leaving a stinging silence in its wake. tzuyu’s eyes widened in shock, her face frozen in an expression of disbelief.

“maybe that’ll wake you up,” you said, the words cold and devoid of sympathy. her mouth opened as if to respond, but the ringing of her phone cut her off. both of you turned toward the sound, and the sight of jungkook’s name flashing on the screen seemed to crystallize the realization of what had transpired.

a derisive scoff escaped your lips as you watched her face drain of color, the realization dawning on her with a visceral impact. “i always knew you were a slut,” you said, each word deliberate and cutting. “never took you for a liar, too.”

her composure shattered, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to find words that would never come. the sight of her distress was almost satisfying, but you were beyond caring. you had come to deliver a message, and now that it was sent, you turned on your heel with a resolute finality. you left the room without a backward glance, the confrontation leaving behind a cold, echoing silence. your steps were purposeful as you made your way out, each footfall a reminder that you had not come for breakfast or for pleasantries. the meal you had served was one that was best served cold.

the limo door closed behind you with a soft thud, sealing you in the quiet, dimly lit interior. the rush of adrenaline from the encounter with tzuyu still lingered, but as you settled into the plush leather seat, a different kind of tension began to gnaw at you. your eyes drifted to your hand resting in your lap, the subtle tremor in your fingers drawing your attention. no matter how hard you squeezed your hand into a fist, the twitching refused to cease, a stubborn reminder of the morning’s confrontation.

“will we be going back home, miss?” the driver’s voice broke through your thoughts, his tone polite but indifferent, as though he hadn’t just ferried you from one battlefield to another. you forced yourself to regroup, pushing aside the flicker of doubt that threatened to creep in. “no,” you replied, your voice steadier than you felt. “there’s one more stop.”

the drive to taehyung’s hotel was brief, the city’s landscape a blur as you wrestled with the unrelenting twitch in your hand. the calm you had worked so hard to maintain was fraying at the edges, and by the time you arrived at the penthouse, the tremor had become a constant, unsettling presence. the door was unlocked when you arrived, a testament to the casual chaos that always seemed to surround taehyung. the minute it swung open, you were greeted by the overpowering musk of weed and cologne, the two scents mingling in a way that was almost nauseating. you stepped inside, barely managing to stifle the scoff that threatened to escape as you took in the familiar scene before you.

two girls emerged from the lit interior, their hair a mess of tangled curls, and their makeup smeared from what must have been a long night. they wore nothing but oversized shirts that you could only assume belonged to taehyung, the hemline barely grazing their thighs. the sneers they shot you were unmistakable, a territorial display that you found almost laughable.

and then, taehyung appeared. his hair was wet, droplets of water clinging to the strands as he emerged from what must have been a shower, a towel wrapped loosely around his waist. you rolled your eyes, too accustomed to his antics to be fazed by the sight. he caught your eye, a smirk playing on his lips as he used a towel to rub his hair dry. “please excuse their lack of manners,” he drawled, the arrogance in his voice palpable. “gangnam girls, what can i say?”

you rolled your eyes again, the gesture becoming almost second nature in his presence. “you’re disgusting,” you retorted, your voice laced with disdain. he laughed, the sound rich and careless, as though your insult had only amused him. “why did you stop by?” he asked, tilting his head in that infuriatingly casual way of his. “did you come by to partake in round two?”

the suggestion was enough to make you scrunch your face up in disgust. “not even in your wildest dreams.” his smirk only widened, and he turned to pour himself a drink, the clink of glass against glass echoing through the penthouse. your eyes followed the movement, landing on the amber liquid as it swirled in the glass. “a little early for a drink, isn’t it?” you asked, unable to keep the note of disapproval from creeping into your voice.

he downed the glass in one go, the smirk never leaving his lips as he shook his head. “never too early for some fun,” he replied, his voice casual. he paused, setting the glass down with a deliberate clink before adding, “i heard you had some fun of your own this morning.” his words took you by surprise, your carefully constructed plan to break the news to him first crumbling in an instant. “how do you know about that?” you demanded, the words slipping out before you could stop them.

taehyung merely shrugged, the movement languid as he refilled his glass. “i could only assume,” he said, his tone nonchalant, “given the missed calls from the ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend.” you stared at him, the surprise flickering across your face. “did you answer any of them?”

he chuckled, the sound low and amused. “i was a bit busy, as you saw.” another eye roll. “you’re awful,” you muttered, turning on your heel, ready to leave the chaos of his penthouse behind. but just as your hand reached for the door, his voice stopped you in your tracks.

“i’m opening my club tonight,” he said, the words hanging in the air between you. “aren’t you gonna come and show your support?” you turned back to face him, a scoff escaping your lips. “you’re really investing in a burlesque club?”

he shot you a look, one that was almost serious if it weren’t for the glint of mischief in his eyes. “i thought you knew art better than anyone else.” a sigh slipped past your lips, a mix of exasperation and reluctant acceptance. “fine,” you said, the word heavy with resignation. “i’ll be there.”

as you turned to leave, something caught your eye—a subtle change in taehyung’s expression. the smirk that usually adorned his lips had softened, replaced by something you hadn’t expected. a smile. not a smirk, not a taunt, but a genuine, warm smile. it was fleeting, barely there, but it left a lingering warmth in the room even after you had gone.

you returned home with a heavy weight on your shoulders, the events of the day replaying in your mind like a broken record. the penthouse, the limo, the tremor in your hand—all of it seemed to swirl together in a murky haze of emotions you could barely contain. the opulent surroundings of your home provided little comfort, the luxurious furnishings and sprawling space feeling more like a cage than a sanctuary.

you tried to distract yourself, lounging on the chaise in the living room, your fingers idly tracing the intricate patterns on the silk cushions. the house was quiet, too quiet, the kind of silence that allowed your thoughts to echo louder than they should. but you refused to let your mind wander too far, knowing that if you did, the reality of everything would come crashing down.

and then, the quiet was interrupted by the soft click of heels against marble, a sound you recognized all too well. your mother entered the room, her expression unreadable as she approached you. she had a newspaper clutched in her hands, the edges crinkled from the way she held it, as if she had been gripping it tightly for some time. you looked up, meeting her gaze with a flicker of curiosity. “is everything okay?” you asked, your voice steady, though the knot in your stomach told you otherwise.

“i don’t know,” she replied, her tone careful, measured. she paused, then spread the newspaper open in front of you, laying it on the coffee table with a deliberate slowness that only added to the tension. “you tell me.”

your eyes fell on the display, the bold headline, the accompanying photo. it took a moment for the image to register, for the reality of what you were seeing to sink in. but when it did, it hit you like a freight train. the photograph was unmistakable—jungkook and tzuyu, walking side by side, their hands intertwined as if they belonged together. the smile on his face, the way she leaned into him—it was a picture-perfect moment, captured by a photographer who had been in the right place at the worst possible time.

but it was the headline that truly did you in, the words glaring back at you with a finality that made your stomach churn. an engagement confirmed, jeon jungkook and chou tzuyu set to wed. it was a fatal blow, one that you hadn’t seen coming, one that you hadn’t even known was on the horizon. the engagement—their engagement—was something you hadn’t even heard about until now, and the shock of it made the room tilt around you.

you felt your whole world come crashing down in an instant, the ground shifting beneath your feet. the bile rose in your throat, and for a moment, you thought you might actually throw up. but you swallowed it down, refusing to let the nausea take over, even as your heart sank deeper into the pit of despair. your mother noticed your distress, her expression softening as she took in your reaction. she was the only one who could see through the mask you wore, the only one who knew just how deep this wound cut. “so it really is true, is it?” she asked, her voice quiet, almost tentative.

you could only muster up the energy to nod, the motion slow, as if the act of agreeing took more out of you than you had to give. she crumpled the newspaper in her hands, the sound of the paper crunching under her grip filling the room before she tossed it to the ground. the gesture was full of a frustration she didn’t voice, a rage she didn’t let surface.

she approached you, her movements cautious, as if afraid you might break if she got too close. lneeling beside you, she searched your face for tears, but found none. you hadn’t cried, not a single tear, because the pain was too deep, too raw to manifest in something as simple as crying. but she didn’t need to see your tears to know you were hurting. she had always known, perhaps even before you did.

“i’m so proud of you,” she began, her voice soft, filled with a sincerity that made your chest tighten. she reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from your face with a gentleness that only made it harder to breathe. “i’m so proud of you for handling it like this.”

you met her gaze for a moment, your eyes locking with hers. but the sharpness in your tone betrayed the anger simmering beneath the surface. “why? because i didn’t handle it the way you did?”

the hurt that flashed across her face was immediate, a brief flicker of pain that she couldn’t hide. but you didn’t care. no matter how bad she felt, no matter how much she hurt, she had to deal with the consequences of her own actions. you weren’t responsible for her pain, not now, not ever. “i would never give second chances,” you continued, your voice cold, detached. “let alone abandon my daughter to give a million more of them.”

she had no words, nothing to say that could make up for the past. because she knew you were right. she knew that no matter how much she wanted to mend the rift between you, no matter how desperately she tried, the mistakes she had made would always be there, a shadow that hung over your relationship like a storm cloud. so when you stood up, she didn’t stop you. she didn’t reach out, didn’t call after you, because she knew it wouldn’t make a difference. the silence between you was heavy, filled with all the things left unsaid, the things that would never be said because the damage had been done long ago.

as you left the room, all you could tell yourself was that she had her chance. when it should have been you, it was your father. when it should have been you, it was the man who had cheated on her, the man she had chosen over you. and now, the choices she had made so long ago were coming back to haunt her, just as they were coming back to haunt you. but you wouldn’t let them define you. you wouldn’t let her mistakes dictate your life. because you were stronger than that. and no matter how much it hurt, no matter how deep the wound, you would heal. even if it took everything you had.

you spent the evening preparing for taehyung’s club opening with meticulous care. your makeup was flawless, each stroke and blend designed to enhance your natural features while exuding confidence. you opted for a dress that struck the perfect balance between understated elegance and bold sophistication—a midnight blue gown that hugged your figure in all the right places, with a slit that hinted at just enough leg. your choice of jewelry was deliberate: a pair of sapphire earrings and a delicate silver bracelet that added a touch of sparkle without overwhelming your look. every detail was intended to make a statement of support, a way of showing that despite everything, you stood with taehyung.

as you adjusted the final strands of your hair and examined your reflection, you felt a pang of resolve mixed with unease. taehyung had been a steadfast ally, someone who had stepped up when others had not. you might not have known him as long or as intimately as you did jungkook or tzuyu, but his loyalty and support had earned your respect. you were determined to return the favor, even if it was under these difficult circumstances.

your chauffer arrived promptly, a sympathetic look in his eyes that betrayed his knowledge of the day's earlier events. you offered him a polite smile, appreciating the gesture even as you sensed the pity behind it. it seemed everyone had seen the news, and while some might have been hoping to witness your downfall, you refused to let their expectations dictate your actions. you had no need for their pity; you were here for taehyung, and that was all that mattered.

upon arriving at the club, the driver gave you a fleeting compliment on your appearance, his words tinged with transparent affection. you acknowledged it with a practiced smile and a courteous thank you before turning to face the club’s entrance. the twitching in your hand persisted, an incessant reminder of the chaos that had unfolded earlier. you gripped your fingers tightly, trying to steady the unsettling tremor, but it only seemed to intensify as you approached the bouncer and announced your name.

inside, the club dazzled with its blue lighting, casting a cool, ethereal glow over the crowd. the music was upbeat, familiar, a soundtrack that seemed both comforting and alien amidst the night’s emotional turmoil. the air was rich with the mingling scents of high-end alcohol and the faint trace of a sophisticated, floral aroma. despite the beauty of the setting, your nerves remained on edge. the club was undoubtedly a reflection of taehyung’s tastes, a testament to his style and ambition, but you couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that clung to you.

just as you began to lose yourself in the ambiance, a new sound caught your attention. the gruffness of a man’s voice, unmistakably agitated, drew you toward a nearby hallway. as you approached cautiously, you caught sight of taehyung and his father engaged in a heated conversation near the entrance to the bathrooms. taehyung’s expression was a mixture of sorrow and frustration, while his father’s face was etched with anger and disappointment.

you pressed yourself against the wall, straining to hear their conversation while remaining unobtrusive. the words that drifted toward you were sharp and cutting. “this is why you’ll never be good enough. is this what you plan on doing for the rest of your life? investing in women and alcohol?” the harshness in his father’s voice was evident, and it sent a shiver down your spine.

taehyung’s response was a desperate plea. “it isn’t like that. don’t you see how many people are here? they came to support me. it’s not about the money or the women.”

his father’s reaction was dismissive, a scoff escaping his lips. “your mother would be disappointed.”

the statement hung heavy in the air, a final, damning indictment that seemed to crush taehyung’s spirit. you could see the hurt in his eyes, the way his shoulders slumped slightly under the weight of his father’s words. goosebumps broke out on your skin as you watched the scene unfold, the pain and conflict evident in taehyung’s face. the confrontation seemed to end abruptly as his father turned away, leaving him standing alone with his hurt and frustration.

you remained frozen in place, your gaze fixated on the scene that had just unfolded. the discord between taehyung and his father had left you feeling unsettled, and you were still processing the weight of their conversation. when he finally turned around and met your eyes, his expression softened slightly, though the hurt remained etched into his features. he approached you with a wry smile, his voice laced with a mix of amusement and reproach. “eavesdropping isn’t very eloquent of you, now is it?”

you felt a flush of embarrassment creep up your neck, and you shook your head, flustered. “i’m sorry. i didn’t mean to intrude.” his eyes searched yours, gauging the truth of your apology. “how much did you hear?” he asked.

you hesitated for a moment before responding. “not much,” you lied, though you knew he could see right through you. despite this, he chose not to press further, an unspoken understanding passing between you. determined to ease his pain, even just a little, you offered a genuine compliment. “the club is amazing. you did a great job, taehyung. i’m really proud of you, and you should be too.”

he scoffed lightly, a hint of bitterness in his tone. “i thought you of all people would know how i feel about pity.” you walked with him, taking in the luxurious surroundings of the club as you spoke. “i pity no one,” you said, your gaze sweeping over the elegant décor. “i just have a good eye.”

he chuckled softly and gestured toward a nearby velvet sofa. “let’s see just how good your eye is.”

you took a seat beside him, the plush cushions enveloping you in comfort. the club’s ambiance was sophisticated and chic, a far cry from the rowdy, overtly provocative establishments you had anticipated. the women around you were dressed in stylish, modest attire, their elegance a testament to taehyung’s taste and vision. as you sipped from your glass, you felt the familiar twitch in your hand returning, an involuntary reaction to the stress and turmoil of the day. you tried to ignore it, but taehyung’s perceptive gaze noticed your discomfort.

“what’s with your hand?” he asked, his voice laced with concern. you shook your head, attempting to dismiss it. “it’s been doing that all day.”

before you could raise your glass for another sip, taehyung reached over and gently took your hand in his. his touch was unexpectedly warm, and you felt a jolt of surprise as he placed his hand over yours, effectively stilling the trembling. “what are you doing?” you asked, taken aback by his unexpected gesture.

he ignored your question, instead focusing on the sensation of your hand beneath his. With a gentle squeeze, he seemed to transfer some of his warmth to you. “it’s freezing,” he remarked. “no wonder you’re shaking.”

the simple act of his hand over yours had an immediate effect; your hand ceased its tremor, the warmth and reassurance from his touch proving to be surprisingly calming. you looked at him, astonished by the unexpected relief. he let go of your hand, and you noticed with a mix of wonder and gratitude that the twitching had completely stopped. his thoughtful gesture had provided more comfort than you had anticipated, and you felt a deep sense of appreciation for his quiet support.

as you and taehyung settled into the plush velvet sofa, the atmosphere of the club enveloped you. the stage, bathed in a rich, ambient light, was now the focal point of the room. the performers, a group of women dressed in matching, sleek outfits, took their positions. their attire was a harmonious blend of black and gold, each piece meticulously chosen to accentuate their grace and elegance. the room fell silent in anticipation, and the low, sultry beats of the music began to pulse through the air.

the dancers moved as one, their synchronized steps creating a mesmerizing rhythm that captivated the audience. the choreography was a seamless blend of fluid motions and sharp accents, each gesture exuding confidence and allure. their bodies swayed and undulated with practiced precision, creating a visual symphony of movement that held the crowd in rapt attention.

the dance routine was both graceful and provocative, designed to showcase their athleticism and artistry. their movements were precise yet fluid, their expressions a mix of allure and control. as they twirled and moved, the lighting cast dramatic shadows that emphasized every curve and line, adding to the seductive ambiance of the performance.

you glanced at taehyung, noting the way his eyes followed the dancers with admiration. his smirk was barely contained as he observed their performance, but when he noticed your gaze, he tilted his head slightly, acknowledging your silent praise. “good dancers, aren’t they?” he asked, his voice low and filled with an undertone of challenge. you nodded, still watching the stage. “you’ve outdone yourself this time,” you said, genuinely impressed by the display.

his smirk widened, his eyes glinting with amusement. “but i think i’d rather see you up there,” he said, his tone light but carrying an edge of challenge. you turned back to him with a roll of your eyes. “you’re despicable,” you replied, your voice tinged with both amusement and defiance.

he chuckled, clearly enjoying your reaction. “i know you’d never, don’t worry,” he said, a teasing lilt in his voice. the challenge in his words sparked something within you. your eyebrows raised in surprise, and you met his gaze with a mixture of curiosity and determination. “you really think i wouldn’t?” you asked, your tone daring.

taehyung leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “enlighten me.”

with a resolute nod, you felt the warmth of the alcohol dulling your nerves, giving you the courage to accept the challenge. you stood up, feeling the eyes of the room upon you as you made your way to the stage. the sudden shift in energy was intense, and you could sense the anticipation building. the stage was bathed in a soft spotlight as you stepped into the center, the audience’s eyes fixed on you. the music, a slow, seductive melody with a steady beat, filled the space around you. you took a deep breath and began to move, each step deliberate and measured, yet brimming with sensuality.

your dance was a blend of sultry elegance and bold confidence. you began with a slow, sinuous sway of your hips, your movements flowing seamlessly with the rhythm of the music. your hands glided through the air, tracing invisible patterns as you twirled and spun with a grace that drew the audience’s gaze. the fabric of your dress clung to your curves, accentuating every motion and adding to the overall allure of your performance. as you continued, you incorporated a series of fluid, seductive movements, your body articulating each beat with precision. your gaze remained locked on taehyung, whose eyes were fixed intently on you. his expression was a mix of surprise and admiration, his smirk replaced by a look of genuine interest.

you made use of the entire stage, your movements becoming increasingly bold and expressive. the lighting shifted to highlight your figure, casting dramatic shadows that played across the floor. the audience’s reaction was one of awe, their murmurs and gasps a testament to the impact of your performance. taehyung’s gaze never wavered as he watched you, his eyes reflecting a mixture of pride and intrigue. the intensity of his stare only fueled your confidence, and you poured every ounce of emotion into the dance.

you weren’t sure when exactly it had happened. one moment, you were basking in the afterglow of your performance, the applause still ringing in your ears, and taehyung’s unwavering gaze was locked onto yours. the next, the world around you blurred into a hazy swirl of emotions and sensations. you were vaguely aware of the transition—of leaving the club, of the distant sound of music and chatter fading away—but the details were a disjointed blur, unimportant in the grand scheme of what was unfolding.

the next clear memory was the sudden jolt as your back hit the plush leather seat of the limo. taehyung’s hand, warm and firm, cupped the back of your head, guiding it gently to soften the impact. his touch was both tender and commanding, a subtle yet unmistakable assertion of his control over the moment. the rush of air, mingled with the lingering scent of his cologne and the intoxicating aroma of the night, created an atmosphere thick with unspoken desires.

as your eyes met his, he closed the distance between you, his lips finding yours with a fervor that sent a shiver down your spine. the kiss was a potent mix of passion and urgency, his mouth moving against yours with a hunger that matched your own. the warmth of his breath, the slight pressure of his lips, and the way his fingers gripped your hair created a cocoon of sensation that drowned out everything else.

he broke the kiss briefly, his eyes still locked on yours, a fleeting moment of clarity amidst the whirlwind of emotions. “i think it’s my turn to say you’ve outdone yourself,” he murmured, his voice low and laden with a sultry confidence. before you could fully process his words, he closed the distance again, pressing his lips to yours with renewed intensity. the limo’s interior, dimly lit and private, became a haven for your shared moment. the air inside was thick with the mingling scents of alcohol, his cologne, and the faint traces of sweat from the evening. the mingling of these aromas, combined with the intimate setting, only heightened the electric tension between you.

as your nails clawed at his suit, desperate to feel the warmth of his body against yours, you were acutely aware of the recklessness of the situation. there was a part of you that knew, in the back of your mind, that this was a moment you might come to regret come morning. the clarity of dawn would bring with it the weight of consequences, the knowledge of what you had done. but right then, under the weight of his embrace and the intoxicating blend of alcohol and desire, those thoughts seemed distant, almost irrelevant.

taehyung’s hand slid down from your hair to your chest, his thumb brushing against the swell of your breast. your breath hitched as he squeezed gently, his eyes darkening with hunger. “you’re full of surprises tonight,” he whispered, his voice thick with lust. his other hand found its way to your thigh, slowly sliding up under your dress, the fabric parting like water around his fingers. your heart raced as he reached the apex of your thighs, his touch setting your skin alight.

his fingers danced around the edge of your panties, teasing, before dipping beneath the fabric. you gasped as he touched you, the sensation sending a jolt of pleasure through your core. “i knew,” he murmured, a smug smile playing on his lips. “i knew you wanted this as much as i do.” his voice was a seductive purr, his words a mix of praise and degradation that sent a thrill through your body. despite the vulgarity, you found yourself craving more, the need to hear him say those dirty things growing stronger with each passing second.

his hand continued to explore, his thumb now circling your clit with a maddening slowness. your hips bucked against his touch, urging him on. you could feel his erection pressing against your leg, a silent display of his own arousal. with a growl, he pushed aside the last barrier of fabric, his fingers plunging into you with a fierce urgency that stole the breath from your lungs. “fuck, tae—” you moaned, your voice a hoarse whisper that seemed to echo in the enclosed space of the limo. he smirked, his eyes never leaving yours as he worked his fingers in and out of you, your juices coating his hand.

his thumb remained a constant pressure point, bringing you closer and closer to the edge of release. you threw your head back, lost in the sensation, as he leaned in to kiss your neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin. the mix of pleasure and pain sent you spiraling, your body tensing and then releasing in a powerful orgasm. taehyung’s chuckle of satisfaction vibrated against your skin, his grip on your hair tightening as he claimed your mouth once more. your thoughts were a jumbled mess, but one thing was clear: this was the best sex you’d ever had. and for a brief, shining moment, jungkook was nothing but a distant memory.

you reached down to free his cock from the confines of his pants, your hand wrapping around his thick, velvety length. he hissed in a sharp breath, his eyes closing briefly as you stroked him, the tip already slick with precum. the sensation of his pulse in your palm was intoxicating, a silent promise of the pleasure yet to come. “you’re gonna take it all, aren’t you?” he murmured, his voice a dark, seductive whisper in your ear. “every inch of me, until you can’t walk straight tomorrow. until jungkook is nothing but a pathetic little worm in your memory.”

his words sent a thrill of excitement through you, a heady mix of anger and lust that only served to fuel your desire. you nodded, a silent agreement, as he pushed your panties aside and positioned himself at your entrance. without warning, he slammed into you, filling you to the brim. the suddenness of it took your breath away, your eyes wide with shock and pleasure.

his hips moved in a steady, powerful rhythm, each thrust driving him deeper and deeper. your nails dug into his back as you tried to anchor yourself, the pleasure building with each movement. his hand found your breast, playing with the nipple as he pounded into you, the sting of pain from your tight grip on his shoulders only adding to the symphony of sensations.

his mouth found yours again, his tongue demanding entry, his teeth nipping at your lower lip. your bodies were slick with sweat, the leather of the seat sticking to your skin as you moved together. the air was thick with the sound of your ragged breaths and the wet slap of skin on skin. it was raw, it was animalistic, and it was everything you never knew you needed.

his thrusts grew harder, more urgent, his breathing ragged. “you’re so fucking tight, so fucking wet for me,” he groaned, his voice a desperate growl. “you’re gonna make me cum so fucking hard, aren’t you?”

you could only nod, the words lost in the intensity of the moment. as he sped up, you felt yourself climbing towards another peak, the pressure building like a crescendo in your core. when you finally shattered again, it was with a scream that was muffled by his mouth, his own release following swiftly after.

in the aftermath, you lay there, your heart racing, your body trembling with the aftershocks of pleasure. taehyung’s weight was a comforting presence, his chest rising and falling heavily against your own. you didn’t know what the morning would bring, but in that moment, all you knew was that you had claimed your victory over jungkook, and it was a victory that had left you feeling more alive than ever before.

when you woke up the next morning, the throbbing in your head was the first sensation that greeted you. the remnants of a night spent in hazy indulgence seemed to have manifested in the dull ache that now pervaded your temples. as you slowly gathered yourself from the tangle of sheets, you became acutely aware of the soreness in your thighs and the general discomfort that seemed to have settled in every joint of your body. the remnants of your encounter with taehyung from the night before were all too vivid, despite the haze of alcohol and heartbreak that had enveloped the evening.

the memories of what had transpired, the reckless abandon in the limo, felt like a crushing weight on your chest. you tried to push them aside, focusing instead on dressing yourself and stepping out the door as if nothing had changed. however, despite your efforts to maintain a facade of normalcy, the gnawing embarrassment at what had happened lingered in the back of your mind.

as you walked down the quiet streets, your pace quickened, an unconscious reaction to your heightened sense of anxiety. the sharp screech of tires sliced through the morning calm, making you turn abruptly. To your dismay, a familiar limo pulled up beside you, its sleek black surface reflecting the bright morning light. the window rolled down, revealing taehyung’s smirk.

“need a ride?” he asked, his tone teasing. “or was last night enough?” you scoffed, the sound sharp in the stillness of the street. “i have no idea what you're talking about,” you replied, attempting to walk away with as much dignity as you could muster. however, the limo kept pace with you, taehyung’s voice drifting out the open window.

“how about you come in, and i’ll enlighten you?” his words were laced with a mix of amusement and challenge. “no need. one disappointment is enough,” you shot back, frustration edging your voice. you were relieved when the limo finally turned around and drove off, your body tensing as you continued your walk.

but your respite was short-lived. as you rounded a corner, your heart sank at the sight of jungkook and tzuyu standing just a few feet away. they were intertwined, their hands clasped together, looking equally flustered and frozen in the moment. the silence between you all was deafening, each person seemingly waiting for the other to speak, yet no one moved.

just when you were about to speak, a familiar arm slid around your shoulders. you turned to find taehyung beside you, his focus unwaveringly fixed on jungkook and tzuyu. you tensed, feeling the weight of his arm as he drew you closer, and despite your discomfort, you couldn’t help but notice how taehyung's gaze remained defiant, almost mocking.

“it’s funny seeing you two here,” he said, his voice carrying a note of casual detachment. “you two look like escorts.” you fought back a laugh, surprised by the sudden shift in tension. tzuyu’s response was a scoff, her voice edged with annoyance. “you’re not funny, taehyung.”

he shrugged nonchalantly. “i wasn’t trying to be.” jungkook’s eyes were a mix of anger and hurt as he glanced from taehyung’s arm around you to your own stiff posture. “what are you two doing?” he asked, his voice tinged with confusion.

you tilted your head, a trace of exasperation in your tone. “how is that any of your business?” taehyung patted your shoulder, a gesture that seemed almost patronizing. “don’t worry, he has a right to know,” he said before addressing jungkook again. “we were about to leave for brunch.”

the words seemed to hit jungkook harder than you’d expected. his expression softened, a fleeting look of hurt crossing his face. “that’s a funny coincidence. we were about to go too.” taehyung’s chuckle lacked any real amusement. “you’re full of surprises, aren’t you?” he said, then turned back to you. “we should all go together.” your head whipped around to him, eyes wide with disbelief. before you could protest further, jungkook had already agreed. the situation had spiraled out of your control, leaving you caught in a tangled web of the things you hated most in the world.

the restaurant was an elegant blend of sophistication and comfort, with plush velvet seating and softly glowing chandeliers that cast a warm, inviting light over the room. you were seated beside taehyung, who exuded a relaxed confidence that contrasted starkly with the tension you felt. jungkook and tzuyu were across from you, their expressions a mix of discomfort and guardedness.

you tried to focus on the menu, but the trembling in your hand betrayed your inner turmoil. to your surprise, taehyung noticed. his hand slipped over yours, his touch firm yet reassuring. the moment his fingers enveloped yours, the shaking ceased. the sudden calm was almost unnerving, but you tried to ignore it, instead fixing your gaze on the champagne bottle that the waitress had just placed in an ice bucket on the table.

jungkook’s eyes narrowed as he watched the exchange between you and him. his fingers clenched into a fist, the muscles in his jaw tightening. tzuyu shot him a concerned glance but remained silent. the atmosphere was thick with unspoken words and simmering emotions.

taehyung broke the uneasy silence, his voice carrying a note of playful reproach. “i was so disappointed when you two didn’t show up to my opening last night,” he said, his smirk widening as he turned to you. “you missed quite the show.”

your gaze hardened, a flash of irritation crossing your face. qithout thinking, you kicked taehyung’s shin with your heel. he let out a yelp, drawing a sharp look from jungkook and tzuyu. they exchanged glances but chose not to comment. instead, tzuyu responded with a curt tone. “we were a bit busy last night.”

you took a sip of champagne, letting the bubbles dance on your tongue as you maintained a steady gaze on tzuyu. “i’m sure you were,” you said, pausing for effect before adding, “how’s your cheek?”

her silence spoke volumes. she couldn’t meet your gaze, and you caught a glimpse of taehyung’s smirk from the corner of your eye. his amusement was obvious, but you forced yourself to stay focused. jungkook, clearly frustrated, asked, “do you always have to be so hostile?”

you finished your glass with a deliberate motion and turned to him. “try not to talk too much,” you said, your voice cool. “your cheek still must be sore.” tzuyu rolled her eyes, her tone laced with irritation. “his cheek is just fine, no thanks to you.”

you offered a condescending smile and took the champagne bottle, pouring yourself another glass. the liquid swirled within the glass as you swished it lightly. “careful, princess,” you said with a hint of mockery, “a dangerous thing to say with a last season valentino on.” you gestured toward her dress, noting the slight discomfort it caused her.

she fell silent, her expression tightening. taehyung’s hand moved to your thigh, his touch startling you. it was a jolt that snapped you into a heightened awareness of the situation. he leaned in, his voice a low murmur against your ear. “play nice.”

you took a deep breath, struggling to maintain a semblance of composure. every word, every gesture felt like an excruciating exercise in restraint. the effort was draining, but taehyung’s hand on your thigh provided a strange comfort. each time your hand started to tremble, he was there, his grip steady and calming. the trembling would cease, leaving you with a paradox of relief and frustration.

despite your best efforts, the undercurrent of conflict remained. every forced smile and polite exchange felt like a compromise of your true feelings. you were acutely aware of the intricate dance you were performing, trying to keep the peace while your emotions simmered just beneath the surface. but with each tremor of your hand and each reassuring touch from him, you struggled to maintain your fragile equilibrium, knowing that beneath the veneer of civility, everything was unraveling.

you were ready to leave, your patience worn thin by the tension and the forced pleasantries. the evening had drained you in more ways than one, and all you wanted was the solace of solitude. as you stood to go, taehyung’s voice cut through the air, calm yet insistent. “it’s a long drive. i’ll take you.” you scoffed, shaking your head as you reached for your bag. “my legs work just fine, taehyung.”

but he didn’t listen. before you could protest further, he had already grabbed your arm, gently but firmly pulling you towards the exit. you tried to resist, but he was unyielding, guiding you out of the restaurant and into the waiting limo. the door closed behind you with a soft click, sealing you inside with him, the tension from the dinner still thick in the air.

the drive was stiflingly awkward, the silence between you a heavy reminder of the mistake you had made the night before. the plush leather seats, the tinted windows, the soft hum of the engine—it all felt like an extension of the regret that gnawed at you, a physical manifestation of the night you wished you could forget. taehyung’s voice broke the silence, his words heavy with something you couldn’t quite place. “you regret it, don’t you?”

you couldn’t find the words to respond. instead, you turned your head to the window, watching the city lights blur past. the weight of his question hung in the air, and though you couldn’t bring yourself to answer, the silence that followed was answer enough. you could feel his gaze on you, the quiet pain it caused him evident in the way he shifted slightly in his seat. it was a silent, unspoken ache that settled in your chest, but you forced yourself to ignore it.

the drive seemed to stretch on, the minutes dragging like hours. you glanced at your phone, frowning as you noticed the time. “we should’ve been home by now,” you remarked, your voice tinged with suspicion. taehyung shook his head, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. “i have to stop somewhere first.” you wanted to ask where, but the weariness in his tone kept you silent. instead, you leaned back into the seat, resigned to wherever he was taking you.

after what felt like an eternity, the limo finally came to a halt. taehyung was the first to exit, and you followed, confusion knitting your brows as you noticed the plastic bag of flowers he carried in his hand. the air was cool, a slight breeze ruffling your hair as you looked around, taking in the sight of the park that stretched out before you. but it wasn’t the park that caught your attention—it was the memorial center adjacent to it.

you trailed after him, your confusion deepening with every step. he walked with purpose, his steps steady and deliberate, until he came to a stop in front of a grave. you stood beside him, your gaze dropping to the headstone as he crouched down, carefully placing the flowers at its base. the name engraved in stone caught your eye, kim jeongsook, a loving daughter, wife, and mother.

your breath hitched as understanding dawned, your heart clenching with an ache that mirrored taehyung’s. he remained crouched, his hands pressed together, eyes closed in a silent prayer. the vulnerability in his posture, the raw emotion etched in his features—it was a side of him you had never seen before. “is this your mother?” you asked quietly, the words slipping out before you could stop them.

he opened his eyes and nodded, the movement almost imperceptible. the softness in his gaze, the fragility in the way he looked at you—it broke something inside of you. you knelt beside him, your fingers reaching out to adjust the flowers he had placed, centering them with care. the silence was heavy, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. it was a shared moment of understanding, of unspoken grief and quiet solace.

“she’s beautiful,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. taehyung looked at you then, his eyes soft and filled with a tenderness that made your chest tighten. “she was,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

you held his gaze, the weight of the moment settling over you both. in the quiet of the cemetery, surrounded by the stillness of the say, there was no need for words. the air was charged with unspoken feelings, a connection forged in the shared silence as you both mourned the woman who had given him life.

the drive back home was quiet, the kind of silence that wasn’t heavy with tension but rather a mutual understanding, a shared exhaustion. the earlier conversation had stripped away the usual banter between you and taehyung, leaving behind something raw and unspoken. he hadn’t said much after the visit to his mother’s grave, and you hadn’t pressed him. some things were better left undisturbed.

as the limo pulled up in front of your apartment complex, you turned to him, offering him a small, appreciative smile. “thanks for the ride, taehyung.” he nodded, the movement slow and deliberate, as if he had a lot on his mind. his eyes, usually so bright and full of mischief, were shadowed with something deeper—an emotion you couldn’t quite place. there was a heaviness in the way he looked at you, a weight in the air between you that neither of you dared to acknowledge.

you lingered for a moment, feeling as though there was something you should say, something that might lift the gloom that hung over him. but the words didn’t come. instead, you stepped out of the limo, the door closing softly behind you with a finality that echoed in the quiet night. as you walked into your complex, the familiar sight of the lobby greeted you, its warmth and comfort doing little to ease the tension knotted in your chest. you were almost to the elevator when the lady at the front desk called your name.

“miss (l/n)!” you turned to face her, noting the envelope in her hand. she held it out to you with a polite smile. “this came for you.”

you took the envelope from her, murmuring a quick thanks before turning away. it was an ordinary envelope, plain white with your name scrawled in a neat, practiced hand. but there was something about it, something that made your heart stutter in your chest, your fingers tremble as they brushed over the paper. you wished you hadn’t looked at it, wished you hadn’t seen the sender’s name neatly written in the corner. but the minute you did, it felt like your world ended all over again. a wedding invitation.

your fingers tightened around the envelope as you took in the names on the card—jungkook and tzuyu. the date was for tomorrow, just a day away. your breath caught in your throat as the realization hit you like a freight train. how long had they been planning this? how many months, or even years, had they been conspiring behind your back?

your world fell silent, the blood rushing in your ears drowning out everything else. it was as if the ground had been ripped out from under you, leaving you weightless and untethered, flailing in a void of disbelief and betrayal. your legs felt heavy, leaden, as you walked to your apartment. each step was an effort, each breath a struggle. by the time you reached your door, your fingers were numb as they fumbled with the key. the door creaked open, revealing the emptiness of your home, a reflection of the hollow ache in your chest.

you stepped inside, the silence of the room pressing down on you, suffocating in its stillness. your maid appeared from the hallway, her usual cheerful demeanor subdued as she noticed the expression on your face. “where’s my mother?” you asked, your voice flat, emotionless.

she hesitated, offering you a sad, almost sympathetic smile. “she left,” she said softly, the words lingering in the air before she added, “again.”

the finality of that word settled in your bones, the realization that you were truly alone sinking deep. you stood there, rooted to the spot, the wedding invitation clutched tightly in your hand as the emptiness of the room mirrored the void within you. all at once, the weight of the day crashed down on you, the betrayal, the loneliness, the heartbreak. you let the envelope slip from your fingers, watching it flutter to the floor as you stood in the silence, the walls of your world closing in around you.

the walls of your room seemed to close in around you, their familiar corners and edges transformed into suffocating reminders that everyone, in the end, leaves. the emptiness inside you mirrored the hollow space in the room, an echo of the losses that had piled up over time. every piece of furniture, every picture on the wall, felt like a ghost of a memory, haunting you with the truth you had tried so hard to escape. you couldn’t stand it anymore—the feeling of everything crashing down on you, the weight of it all pressing you into the ground until you couldn’t breathe.

you needed to go somewhere, anywhere, but there was nowhere that felt safe, nowhere that didn’t remind you of the people who had walked out of your life. the walls were closing in, and you couldn’t stay. with a desperate need to escape, you rushed out the door, letting your legs carry you without direction. the building’s corridors blurred as you sprinted through them, your heart pounding in your chest, your mind racing with thoughts too chaotic to grasp.

the sky had opened up, and the rain was falling in torrents, but you didn’t care. the cold droplets pelted your skin, drenching you to the bone, but you kept running. the water soaked through your clothes, plastering them to your skin, but still, you didn’t stop. your feet pounded the pavement, splashing through puddles, the rain mingling with the tears that streamed down your face, but you didn’t care. you ran until your breath burned in your lungs, until the world around you was nothing but a blur of gray and cold. you ran until you reached the only place that felt like it might offer some solace, the only place you knew to go.

taehyung’s hotel loomed in front of you, its grand entrance a stark contrast to the storm raging outside. you stumbled through the doors, oblivious to the stares of the patrons who watched you, a soaking, disheveled figure who had burst into their calm, orderly world. but their judgment didn’t matter. nothing mattered except getting to him.

you headed straight for the elevator, your steps unsteady but determined. your mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, a chaotic storm that didn’t stop until the elevator doors slid open on his floor. you stepped out, and suddenly, you couldn’t move. because there he was, standing right in front of you, as if he had been waiting for you all along.

his eyes locked onto yours, and you saw the sympathy etched in his features as he took in your drenched appearance. there was no judgment in his gaze, only concern, and something deeper—something that made the tears well up in your eyes all over again.

your hand trembled as you raised it, the crumpled wedding invitation clutched in your fingers. “this and my mom,” you began, your voice breaking, “she just, she left and i—” the words failed you, your throat constricting as the weight of everything pressed down on you once more.

but before you could fall apart completely, taehyung was there, closing the distance between you in a few quick strides. to your surprise, he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into a tight embrace. his suit was immaculate, but he didn’t care as the rain from your clothes soaked into it. he just held you, his warmth seeping into your frozen body, his arms a barrier against the storm both inside and out.

you couldn’t hold it in any longer. the tears came in a rush, followed by gut-wrenching sobs that shook your entire body. you cried into his chest, clutching at his suit as if it were the only thing anchoring you to this world. all the pain, all the hurt that had built up inside you, came pouring out in waves that you couldn’t control. his arms tightened around you, his hand smoothing over your hair in a comforting gesture as he held you close. of all the things he had seen and expected of you, this was the last of them all.

taehyung guided you down the hallway with a steady hand on the small of your back, his touch gentle but insistent, as if he knew that you needed the support to keep moving forward. his silence was a comfort, a balm to the rawness inside you, and for a moment, you allowed yourself to lean into his presence, drawing strength from the warmth of his body beside you. the world outside was still a blur of rain and shadows, but here, in this narrow space, it was just the two of you, and that was enough.

when you reached his door, he paused, glancing at you as if to make sure you were still with him. then he unlocked it, the click of the key in the lock loud in the quiet hallway. the door swung open, and you stepped inside, expecting the same warmth you’d found in his arms, the same comfort you’d desperately sought in your flight from the cold. but that warmth vanished the moment you saw her.

she was disheveled, her hair a tangled mess and her clothes—or lack thereof—a stark reminder of what taehyung’s life was like outside of the moments he spent with you. she was wearing one of his shirts, the fabric hanging loosely off her shoulders, and she was gathering her things with a hurried, almost guilty air. you didn’t know her, not personally at least, but it didn’t take a genius to put the pieces together. she didn’t sneer at you or glare as she might have in some cruel twist of fate. she just slipped past you both, her eyes downcast as if she didn’t want to meet your gaze. she was gone as quickly as she appeared, but you remained frozen, your eyes glued to the spot where she had stood, her presence lingering like an unwanted ghost.

you didn’t know what to feel. should you be angry? hurt? disappointed? what were you supposed to expect from him? after all, you weren’t his girlfriend, and he wasn’t your boyfriend. there was no label, no commitment, nothing to give you the right to feel anything at all. but you did, and it hurt. taehyung noticed the way you stared at the empty space, his own expression faltering as he tried to gauge what you were thinking. he stepped closer, his voice softer than usual as he asked, “you aren’t mad, are you?”

you forced yourself to look at him, to meet his eyes even though it felt like shards of glass were digging into your heart. then you mustered one of your smiles, the kind that never quite reached your eyes, the kind that was more for his benefit than yours. the shift in your demeanor seemed to shock him, his brows knitting together in confusion. “why would i be mad?” you replied, your voice light and airy, as if the sight of another woman leaving his room hadn’t just shattered something deep inside you. you turned and handed him the drenched wedding invitation, the paper crumpled and ruined by the rain but still legible. It was a tangible reminder of the life you were supposed to have, the life that had been ripped away from you.

you walked around the room, your gaze flitting over the furniture, the decorations, anything to avoid looking at him. “you’re free to do collect as many diseases as you please,” you added, the words slipping from your lips with a hint of bitterness that you couldn’t quite suppress. he scoffed, a sound of disbelief that cut through the thick air between you. “i liked you better when you were crying,” he muttered, his tone defensive, almost wounded.

but you didn’t respond. you couldn’t. instead, you let the weight of everything you’d seen, everything you’d felt, sink deep into your bones, and for once, you allowed yourself to acknowledge the truth. you weren’t mad because you had no right to be. but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. and that didn’t mean you wouldn’t remember this moment, the moment when everything you thought you could rely on came crashing down around you once again.

changing in his bedroom felt like stepping into another world, one that was as foreign as it was unnerving. the room was dimly lit, the shadows long and dark, and everything carried his scent—a mix of expensive cologne, faint traces of smoke, and something uniquely him. you felt a strange sense of vulnerability as you rummaged through his closet, searching for something to wear. when your fingers brushed against one of his shirts, a simple white button-down that was far too large for you, you hesitated. it felt surreal, putting it on, almost degrading, knowing how many women had done the same. but unlike them, you had no choice. all your belongings were back home, in a place you couldn’t bear to return to, so you had to make do with what you had.

as you slipped into the shirt, the fabric cool against your skin, you couldn’t shake the discomfort that gnawed at you. it was as if the shirt was a reminder of how little you belonged here, of how temporary this moment was. the sleeves were too long, the hem hanging down to your thighs, but it was better than staying in your rain-soaked clothes. you caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, and the sight made you pause. there you were, standing in taehyung’s bedroom, wearing his shirt, looking every bit the part of someone who had been broken down by life’s cruelty.

you sighed, pushing away the thoughts that threatened to overwhelm you, and stepped out into the living room. the first thing you noticed was the faint scent of smoke, followed by the sight of taehyung lounging on the couch, a joint between his lips. the soft glow of the lighter flickered against his face as he took a drag, his eyes half-lidded with the calm that only the drugs could bring.

you scoffed, the sound sharp in the quiet room. “you’re no different from a crack addict,” you muttered, your tone laced with disdain.

he looked up at you, his eyes meeting yours, and for a moment, he was taken aback. not by your words, but by the sight of you in his shirt. there was something in his gaze, something raw and unguarded, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. it wasn’t lust, not exactly. it was more like wonder, like the sight of you had caught him off guard in the best way possible.

to his surprise, you walked over to the couch and plopped down beside him, close enough that your legs brushed against his. without a word, you snatched the joint from his fingers and took a drag of your own. the smoke burned as it filled your lungs, but it was a welcome distraction, a numbing agent to the chaos inside your head. taehyung chuckled to himself, the sound low and warm. “why’d you come all the way here?” he asked, his voice soft but curious.

you exhaled, the smoke curling up towards the ceiling, and passed the joint back to him. “i assume you saw the invitation,” you said, your tone flat. he nodded, taking another drag before answering. “i got one of my own,” he admitted, pausing as if debating whether to say more. “jungkook even drew a smiley face on mine.”

you scoffed, the sound bitter. “are you touched?” you asked, your voice dripping with sarcasm. he feigned a wounded expression, placing a hand over his heart. “truly,” he replied, his tone matching yours.

a small smirk tugged at the corners of your lips, but it quickly faltered as the weight of everything crashed down on you once again. “mom left again,” you said, the words heavy, as if each one cost you a piece of yourself. taehyung turned to you, his expression softening as he passed the joint back. “where’d she go?” he asked, his voice gentle.

you shrugged, the movement small, defeated. if only you knew where she had gone, where she always went when she left you behind. “probably back to dad,” you muttered, taking another drag. the smoke filled the silence, thick and suffocating. “she always says she’ll never leave, until she does. just like everybody else.”

you passed the joint back to him, your gaze dropping to the floor as you spoke. you didn’t want to see the pity in his eyes, didn’t want to acknowledge the truth in your words. it was easier this way, easier to believe that everyone would leave eventually. it hurt less when you expected it. taehyung studied your face, his eyes tracing every line, every feature, as if he was committing them to memory. his expression softened further, his voice barely above a whisper when he said, “not everybody.”

you met his gaze, and for a moment, you saw something there—something soft, something fragile, like a promise he wanted to make but couldn’t bring himself to say aloud. the softness in his eyes looked like a silent betrayal after what you had seen earlier. you couldn’t let yourself love him, couldn’t afford any more losses, so you stayed quiet.

the silence between you and taehyung was thick, almost suffocating, as the effects of the joint began to take hold. the world around you seemed to slow, the edges of reality blurring as the haze settled in. the tension that had coiled in your chest earlier started to unwind, loosening with each passing second. it was quiet—too quiet—yet neither of you felt the need to fill the space with words. you were both content to sit there, side by side, sharing the same air, the same smoke, letting the quietness cradle you.

but then, the stillness was shattered by the sudden, shrill ring of your phone. the sound cut through the calm like a knife, making your heart skip a beat. you froze, your eyes snapping to the screen as it lit up with the caller id. taehyung, lost in his own thoughts, didn’t seem fazed by the noise. he didn’t even glance your way, his gaze fixed on some distant point. but you—you couldn’t tear your eyes away from the screen. jungkook was calling you.

your breath caught in your throat, and for a moment, you didn’t know what to do. the sight of his name, bright and clear, sent a wave of emotions crashing over you—confusion, dread, a flicker of something you couldn’t quite name. you cleared your throat, trying to steady yourself, and with trembling fingers, you picked up the phone. pressing it to your ear, you tried to maintain some semblance of composure as you answered, your voice strained.

“what do you want?” you asked, the words sharper than you intended, laced with a bitterness that came from deep within. jungkook’s voice on the other line was soft, almost slurred, and you could hear the telltale signs of alcohol in his tone. he was drunk, or close to it, and the vulnerability in his voice was palpable. “i made a mistake,” he confessed, his words tumbling out in a rush. “you’re the girl i want to spend my life with. i’ll do anything—anything—to have you back.”

your eyes widened, your heart pounding in your chest. you were at a loss for words, stunned into silence by the confession. this was jungkook, the one who had left you, the one who had torn your heart out without a second thought. and now, here he was, asking for a second chance, pleading for you to come back to him. it didn’t make sense. mone of it made sense.

the astonishment on your face didn’t go unnoticed by taehyung. he turned to you, his attention now fully on the conversation you were having. his eyes narrowed as he took in your shocked expression, and without warning, he snatched the phone from your grasp. you protested, your voice rising in alarm, but taehyung was quicker. he held the phone away from you, pressing it to his own ear instead.

“never call her again,” he said, his voice low and menacing, before he hung up the call without another word. the finality of the action left you reeling, staring at him in disbelief.

“what was that for, you asshole?” you demanded, your voice trembling with a mixture of anger and confusion. you raised your hand to snatch your phone back, but taehyung was ready for you. he caught your wrist mid-air and, with a swift tug, pulled you toward him. the force of it made you stumble, and you fell against his chest, the heat of his body seeping into yours.

“were you really considering it?” he asked, his voice a low rumble against your ear. “going back to him?”

you didn’t know how to respond. the truth was, you didn’t know what you were considering. jungkook’s call had thrown you off balance, and your mind was still struggling to catch up. taehyung’s grip on you tightened, and when you looked up at him, you saw something in his eyes—something almost like hurt.

“you were, weren’t you?” he pressed, his voice quieter now, laced with an emotion you couldn’t quite place.

you shook your head, trying to pull away from him. “you have nothing to do with it,” you said, your voice firmer now. You needed to get away from him, away from the intensity of his gaze. he scoffed, his hand still wrapped around your wrist. “i have everything to do with it.”

“no,” you snapped, finally breaking free from his grip. you took a step back, putting distance between you. your heart was racing, your thoughts a tangled mess. “i’ll die before i become someone’s toy. don’t even think about it. i’m not my mother, so don’t think i’ll let you do this.”

he stared at you, stunned, taken aback by the force of your words. the room felt colder, the air between you charged with tension. he let go of your wrist, the hurt in his eyes deepening as he processed what you had said. “out of all people,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “i never thought you’d see me that way too.”

your voice shook as you replied, “prove me wrong, then.” you paused, your heart lodged in your throat as you added, “three words. say them, and i’m yours.”

his eyes lit up, a spark of hope flickering in the depths of his gaze. he opened his mouth, and for a moment, you thought he would say them. you could see it in his eyes, the struggle, the want. but as the silence stretched on, you realized the truth. he wanted to say them, you knew he did, because he meant it. but the thought of loving just to lose—of facing that pain again—was too much for him. the words died on his lips, the weight of fear holding them back. you nodded quietly, your heart sinking as the realization settled in. you turned away from him, moving back to the couch, your movements slow and deliberate. you sat down, your eyes glued to the sight in front of you, refusing to let him see the tears that threatened to spill.

taehyung didn’t say anything as he watched you, the room growing impossibly still. after a long moment, he turned away, retreating to his room without another word. the door closed softly behind him, and with that, you knew you had your answer. the silence that followed was deafening, and you let it envelop you, suffocating and cold. there was nothing left to say, nothing left to do.

you woke up with a weight in your chest, a heaviness that seemed to anchor you to the bed, pulling you deeper into the sheets. the morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room, but it did little to brighten the darkness that lingered in your mind. the first thing you noticed was the absence of taehyung. the space beside you was cold, untouched, as if he had never been there at all. your heart sank further at the realization, the memory of last night flooding back in a wave of regret and confusion.

you sat up slowly, your eyes sweeping across the room in search of some sign, something that might explain his absence. but the only thing that caught your eye was the unfamiliar box sitting on the table across the room. it stood out against the familiarity of his things, a stark reminder that something was amiss. curiosity piqued, you swung your legs over the side of the bed and padded over to it, each step feeling heavier than the last.

the box was simple, plain, but it had a note attached to it, a small piece of paper that fluttered slightly as you picked it up. you unfolded the note, your eyes scanning the words written in taehyung’s familiar scrawl. “if he’s really what you want, tell him before it’s too late.”

your heart twisted painfully at the words, the implication behind them cutting deep. you clenched the note in your hand, your fingers trembling as you struggled to make sense of it. what did he mean? was this his way of saying goodbye, of pushing you toward something you didn’t even know if you wanted? taking a deep breath, you turned your attention back to the box, lifting the lid with tentative fingers. inside, neatly folded and pristine, was a dress—a pale pink, soft and delicate, the kind of dress that would be worn to a wedding. It was new, the fabric crisp and clean, untouched by time. you stared at it, a mixture of emotions swirling in your chest. you didn’t want to go, didn’t want to face whatever awaited you there, but you knew you had to. you had to prove you were strong, if not for anyone else, then for yourself.

you had spent your entire life proving your strength to everyone around you, showing them that you could endure, that you could survive whatever life threw at you. but deep down, you knew you had never truly proven it to yourself. this was just another test, another challenge that you had to face head-on, no matter how much it hurt.

with a resigned sigh, you slipped the dress on, the fabric cool against your skin. you didn’t bother with makeup, didn’t feel the need to present yourself as anything other than what you were—a woman who was tired, who was worn down by the weight of her own choices, but who would still stand tall, no matter what. your appearance alone would be enough; there was no need to mask the reality of what you were feeling.

as you left taehyung’s apartment, the note still crumpled in your hand, you hailed a cab. the ride to the venue was a blur, your thoughts consumed by the words he had left you with. “if he’s really what you want, tell him before it’s too late.” the sentence echoed in your mind, over and over, like a mantra that you couldn’t shake. but you knew the truth, the truth that taehyung couldn’t—or wouldn’t—see. jungkook wasn’t what you wanted. he wasn’t what you needed. what you needed was something you couldn’t have, something that was just out of reach, always slipping through your fingers like sand.

the venue was as grand as you had expected, filled with the usual trappings of a wedding—flowers, lights, people dressed in their finest. but as you stepped inside, you felt a hollowness in your chest, a sense of detachment from the celebration around you. you were there, physically present, but your mind was elsewhere, lost in the confusion of your own thoughts.

you didn’t drink. you didn’t speak. you just listened, your eyes dull as you watched the festivities unfold. the happy couple moved through the crowd, smiles bright and genuine, and you couldn’t help but wonder how things had gotten to this point. how had you ended up here, in this place, feeling so lost and alone? Where had it all gone wrong? your eyes drifted through the crowd, searching for something—someone. but taehyung was nowhere to be found. the realization brought a fresh wave of pain, a reminder that you were truly alone in this moment. and then, as if by some cruel twist of fate, your gaze locked with jungkook’s from across the room.

he was standing by the bar, his eyes wide and filled with something you couldn’t quite place—regret, maybe, or sorrow. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something, to reach out to you, but he didn’t. he didn’t move, didn’t speak. Instead, he forced himself to look away, turning back to his drink, leaving you standing there with the weight of a thousand unsaid words between you.

you let him go, let the moment pass without reaching out. you knew it would happen this way, had known from the moment you saw his name on your phone screen. there was nothing left to say, nothing that could change the course you were on. so you let it be, standing alone in the midst of the celebration, the note still crumpled in your hand as the world moved on around you.

the ceremony had ended, the final vows exchanged, the last kiss shared. the room slowly emptied as the guests filed out, leaving you standing alone in the midst of the decorated hall. you hadn’t spoken a word to anyone—not to tzuyu, not to jungkook, not to anyone. the silence that surrounded you felt heavy, oppressive, but you welcomed it, letting it wrap around you like a comforting shroud as you walked out of the venue.

the pain gnawed at you, deep and unrelenting, but the sharpest ache came from the absence of taehyung. he hadn’t shown up, hadn’t been there to witness the ceremony or to stand by your side as you struggled through it. his final act of love had been to let you go, to give you the space to decide whether you wanted to be with jungkook. but in the end, you hadn’t been able to follow through. you couldn’t find it within yourself to go to jungkook, to accept what he was offering. you knew, deep down, that it wasn’t what you truly wanted.

you didn’t know where to go next—whether you should head back to your own place or return to taehyung’s apartment. but something drew you to his place, a pull that you couldn’t resist. the walk there was long, each step heavy and labored, as if your legs were weighed down by the burden of your thoughts. when you finally reached his door, your heart pounded in your chest, a mixture of fear and anticipation swirling within you.

a sick feeling settled in your stomach as you stood outside his door, expecting to find something that would shatter you even further. maybe a girl, maybe two, maybe some other reminder that you were too late, that he had already moved on. but when you finally mustered the courage to open the door, you found nothing. the apartment was empty, eerily silent except for the faint sounds coming from taehyung’s room. you hesitated, straining to hear what was going on behind his closed door. the noises were muffled, but they weren’t what you had feared. they weren’t the sounds of moans or laughter; they were something else entirely. steeling yourself, you pushed the door open and stepped inside, freezing at the sight that greeted you.

taehyung sat at the foot of his bed, his body hunched over, shaking with silent sobs. his hands clutched a photograph, his fingers trembling as he held it close to his chest. for a moment, you couldn’t register what you were seeing, your mind struggling to make sense of the situation. but as you took a closer look, your blood ran cold. it was a photograph of his mother.

the realization hit you like a ton of bricks, and before you knew it, you were rushing to him, your arms wrapping around him as if by instinct. he didn’t hesitate, didn’t push you away; instead, he held on to you with a desperate, almost frantic grip, his sobs wracking his body as he buried his face in your shoulder.

you let him cry, your own shock giving way to a deep, aching sadness. the sound of his tears broke something inside you, a raw, unfiltered pain that you hadn’t been prepared for. you could feel his fingers digging into the fabric of your dress as he clung to you, as if you were the only thing keeping him from falling apart completely. tears of your own began to fall, silent and unstoppable, as you held him tighter, offering whatever comfort you could.

in between his sobs, his voice broke through, raw and choked with emotion. “did you tell him?”

you knew he was referring to the note, the one he had left with the dress, urging you to make a decision about jungkook. you shook your head, your hand coming up to gently stroke his hair as you whispered, “no, no, i didn’t.” his sobs quieted down, his grip on you loosening slightly, but he didn’t let go. “he isn’t the one i want,” you continued, your voice soft but firm. the words hung in the air between you, a truth that you hadn’t fully realized until that moment.

the trembling in his body gradually subsided, and he pulled back just enough to look at you, his eyes red and puffy from crying. he looked at you with an intensity that made your breath catch in your throat, a mixture of vulnerability and something deeper, something you had always hoped to see in his eyes but had never dared to believe was there.

“i love you,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, but the words echoed in your ears, reverberating through your entire being.

you blinked, trying to process what he had just said, but before you could respond, he brought his thumbs up to brush away the tears from your cheeks. “i love you,” he repeated, this time with more certainty, more conviction.

it was no use—you couldn’t keep from crying. the tears spilled over once again, but this time they weren’t just tears of sadness. they were tears of relief, of joy, of finally hearing the words you had longed to hear for so long. “i love you too,” you choked out, your voice breaking as the emotions overwhelmed you. it was your turn to sob, your body shaking with the force of everything you had been holding back. and this time, it was taehyung who held you, who wrapped his arms around you and didn’t let go. he held you as if he would never let go, as if you were the most precious thing in the world to him.

that was all it took. three words, eight letters, and he was yours.

✧.*

a/n: off-brand gossip girl

cr: jiminseu (tiktok)

this made me cry so bad i love him so much he doesn't deserve any of what he's getting. the world owes him a huge apology it's insane. knetizens never learn their fucking lesson how many more idols have to take their lives before yall realize how awful you are