Flashback – Taehyung's Room
The room was a mess.
Books were scattered across the floor, a chair had been knocked over, and a cracked photo frame lay near the wall. The silence of the house made every sound louder—every object hitting the floor echoed like thunder.
Kim Taehyung stood in the middle of the chaos, breathing heavily. His chest rose and fell as frustration burned through him.
Without thinking, he grabbed a book from the table and threw it against the wall.
It hit with a loud thud.
"Why… why does it hurt this much…?" he whispered under his breath.
His hands trembled. He clenched them into fists, trying to calm himself, but the storm inside him refused to quiet down.
Just then—
The door creaked open softly.
Taehyung froze.
His mother sat in her wheelchair at the doorway, watching him silently. Her eyes slowly moved across the messy room, then returned to him.
Taehyung's expression changed instantly. The anger disappeared from his face, replaced with worry.
Taehyung (rushing toward her): "Mom… why did you come here? You should be resting."
His mother didn't answer immediately. Instead, she looked at him carefully, as if trying to see through the smile he was forcing.
Her voice was gentle, but firm.
His Mother: "Taehyung… until when will you keep hurting yourself because of that girl?"
Taehyung looked away quickly.
Taehyung (quietly): "I'm not hurting myself."
His mother sighed softly.
His Mother: "You may hide it from others… but you can't hide it from me. I'm your mother."
Taehyung's throat tightened.
His Mother: "I see how you look at her… the way your eyes follow her everywhere. I see how you pretend to smile even when your heart is breaking."
Taehyung lowered his gaze to the floor.
Taehyung (softly): "Mom… please don't worry about me."
His Mother: "Then give me a reason not to worry."
Silence filled the room.
The ticking clock on the wall sounded unusually loud.
After a long pause, she spoke again.
His Mother (gently): "Move on… Taehyung. Forget her."
Taehyung laughed quietly, but there was no happiness in it.
Taehyung: "If it were that easy… I would have done it long ago."
His Mother's eyes softened.
His Mother: "You've suffered enough in your life. I don't want to see you spend the rest of it chasing someone who belongs to someone else."
Taehyung looked up at her.
Taehyung: "I'm not chasing her… I never did."
His Mother: "You love her."
Taehyung didn't respond.
The silence itself was the answer.
His mother took a deep breath.
His Mother (voice slightly shaky): "Taehyung… there is something I want before I die."
Taehyung's eyes widened immediately.
Taehyung: "Mom, don't say things like that."
His Mother smiled faintly.
His Mother: "We all leave this world someday."
Taehyung shook his head.
Taehyung: "You're not going anywhere."
She reached out and gently placed her hand over his.
His Mother: "My wish is simple… I want to see you get married."
Taehyung froze.
Taehyung: "Married…?"
His Mother nodded.
His Mother: "Yes. Before I close my eyes for the last time, I want to know someone will stay by your side."
Taehyung pulled his hand away slowly.
Taehyung: "But I don't want to marry."
His Mother watched him carefully.
His Mother: "Is it because of her?"
Taehyung didn't answer.
His Mother sighed.
His Mother: "If you love her that much… then steal her."
Taehyung looked at her in shock.
Taehyung: "What…?"
His Mother: "Take her away. Fight for her."
Taehyung shook his head immediately.
Taehyung (firmly): "No. I could never do that."
His Mother: "Why not?"
Taehyung's voice softened.
Taehyung: "Because she loves someone else… and because that someone else is my friend."
His eyes darkened slightly.
Taehyung: "Hurting her would break me… but betraying him would destroy me."
His mother watched him silently.
His Mother: "Then marry the girl I have chosen."
Taehyung looked stunned.
Taehyung: "You already chose someone…?"
His Mother nodded.
His Mother: "She is kind… from a good family… and she will take care of you."
Taehyung turned away, running a hand through his hair.
Taehyung: "I don't even know her."
His Mother: "Love can grow after marriage."
Taehyung closed his eyes.
For a moment, the image of YN's smiling face appeared in his mind.
His chest tightened.
Taehyung (whispering): "I don't think my heart has space for anyone else."
His Mother's voice became softer, almost pleading.
His Mother: "Taehyung… I raised you alone. I watched you grow through so much pain… I only want to see you settled before I leave this world."
Those words hit him harder than anything.
Taehyung slowly looked back at her.
He saw the exhaustion in her eyes… the quiet fear she was trying to hide.
He couldn't refuse her.
Taehyung lowered his head.
Taehyung (softly): "…Okay, Mom."
His Mother's eyes widened slightly.
Taehyung: "As you wish… I'll marry."
Relief spread across her face.
His Mother: "The wedding will be next week."
Taehyung's eyes widened.
Taehyung: "Next week?! Mom, that's too soon—"
His Mother interrupted calmly.
His Mother: "You don't have to live with her forever if you don't want to."
Taehyung stared at her, confused.
His Mother: "But promise me something… promise you won't divorce her for at least six months."
Taehyung sighed deeply.
His life felt like it was changing in ways he never expected.
But his mother's happiness mattered more than anything.
Taehyung: "…I promise."
Present – School
Taehyung sat at his desk, staring blankly at the window.
Students laughed and talked around him, but their voices felt distant.
Next week.
Next week he would marry someone he had never loved.
Someone who wasn't YN.
His chest felt heavy.
He looked outside the classroom window.
Across the courtyard, YN stood beside Suho.
She was laughing.
Her smile was bright… carefree… beautiful.
Suho leaned closer to say something, and she playfully pushed his shoulder.
Taehyung watched quietly.
A small smile formed on his lips.
But it didn't reach his eyes.
Taehyung (whispering to himself): "Look at you… so happy."
His fingers tightened slightly around his pen.
Taehyung: "I guess… that's enough for me."
His gaze softened.
Taehyung: "If you're smiling like that… then maybe all this pain is worth it."
A quiet thought crossed his mind.
Taehyung (very softly): "It was never meant to be us… was it?"
Just then—
YN's voice broke his thoughts.
YN: "Kim Taehyung! Where are you lost?"
He blinked and looked up.
YN stood in front of him with her hands on her hips.
YN: "Lunch time! Are you coming or are you planning to stare at the wall all day?"
Taehyung forced a light smile.
Taehyung: "Yeah… yeah… I'm coming."
But as he stood up, he murmured under his breath—
Taehyung: "Maybe… there will be an 'us' in the next life."
YN tilted her head slightly.
YN: "What did you say?"
Taehyung quickly shook his head.
Taehyung: "Nothing."
YN frowned but eventually shrugged.
YN: "You're acting weird today."
Taehyung smiled faintly.
Taehyung: "Maybe I am."
He followed her toward the cafeteria, quietly walking behind her.
His eyes stayed on her back the entire time.
Because he knew something she didn't.
Next week… he would belong to someone else.
And she would never know how much that broke him.