The Ardent Lovers

045

The ride back to the hotel was quiet with each of them only savouring the feeling of their hands connected together. In silence, they tried to memorize the memories of that night. They carried the expectation of ending their enchanted moments yet they couldn't find the courage to end something so magical.

But it was Dahyun who tried.

With a weak smile, she said, "Go. I think Jennie would have already gone hysterical because you've been missing for more than an hour. I'll just stay here for a while."

Without waiting for his reply, she turned her back and was ready to listen to the sound of his fading footsteps but once more, she found herself trapped in his arms.

"Taehyung," Dahyun protested in a whisper.

"Just ten seconds. Ten seconds more," he embraced her tighter, "After you count to ten, then I'd let you go."

With closed eyes, Dahyun started counting, "One."

"I love you," he whispered in her ears.

"Two."

"And I think I'd keep on loving you."

"Three."

"But I promise to fulfil your wish."

"Four," her voice was already breaking together with her heart.

"But promise me, you'd also live well."

"Five," she chewed on her lip.

"And you'd continue on striving for your dreams."

"Six," she barely whispered.

"Dahyun, thank you. Thank you for everything."

She swallowed back her sobs as she counted, "Seven."

And she could already hear his voice breaking as he whispered, "I love you, Da."

She willed her best to prevent the tears from falling as she stuttered, "E-Eight."

Short sobs already escaped Taehyung's lips as he repeated, "I love you so much."

And it broke her heart to hear him cry so the interval was much longer as she uttered, "Nine."

"And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he cried.

But then, Dahyun couldn't bring herself to count ten. Every fibre of her existence was against her saying the word 'ten'.

In a battle between her mind and her heart, her heart won shouting that she still wanted Taehyung.

She still wanted his love.

She still wanted to be with him.

She wanted him to stay.

But Taehyung's grasp of her slowly loosened and with a sniff he whispered, "Take care."

At the very last moment, they still couldn't gather enough courage to say 'goodbye' so wordlessly, Taehyung walked away and it took all the strength left in Dahyun to prevent herself from chasing him.

When she could no longer hear a trace of his footsteps, she slumped on the floor. Short sobs left her and it didn't take long for the sobs to become hysterical cries. Her vision clouded but she didn't care. She didn't care if anyone would see how helpless and miserable she was because all she could feel was how she was falling apart.

She fisted on her dress as tears continued to flood down her cheeks.

And she was crying as if the world had already ended.

————— 

When the runway show ended but Dahyun hadn't come back yet, Jungkook no longer cared for conversations that didn't start or didn't finish. He rose up to his feet and started searching for her. As minutes became more than an hour, he found himself searching for every corner, passing by the same places for at least five times. He tried calling her but to no avail. He was about to call their other friends but when it seemed like all hope was lost, he found her just sitting in the garden, staring at the sky.

"I've been looking all over for you!" he scolded her and the girl was startled at his booming voice. Panting, he continued, "Do you know how worried I was? Why did you just suddenly disappear like that?"

But Dahyun just smiled apologetically and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Jungkook noticed how her eyes seemed swollen and how her voice sounded hoarse so he walked towards her and examined her closely as he asked, "Did something happen? Are you okay?"

Dahyun kept her smile as she walked towards him. She embraced him as she replied, "Something happened but I'm okay. I'm okay now."

"Then why are you hugging me?" he questioned but still hugged her back.

"Just..." Dahyun breathed. She buried her face on his chest and embraced him tighter as she answered, "I hope you could give me more strength."

————— 

Taehyung didn't come home until the next morning but when he did, he found Jennie waiting at him at the doorsteps. He saw how the emotions in the girl's eyes transitioned from grief to relief and then finally to glee as soon as she saw him.

She welcomed him with a bright smile on her lips.

"Why are you not inside?" he asked as he walked towards her.

"I... I was waiting for you," she answered timidly.

Taehyung then realized that her whole face was painted with fatigue as the dark circles under her eyes and the chaps on her lips were evident. Hesitantly, his right hand cupped her face and Jennie flinched but eventually stayed still.

He stared at her more and his heart became filled with guilt as he realized how he had taken for granted Jennie all this time.

"You must've been suffering for long, right?" he asked.

Surprised, Jennie didn't know how to answer.

But Taehyung then continued and said, "I'm sorry. I've been an irresponsible husband."

Then, he flashed the smile that Jennie fell in love with and she found him saying the words she had always been waiting for.

"I'd take care of you now."