Trapped | KTH

Epilogue

Ten Years Later:

Summer had come fast, as music turned up to full volume. The sky blazed a beautiful baby blue, and the billowing sun was a celebration of yellow; free and bright. The trees rose to the occasion; donning their best verdant hues, and everywhere were the flowers, bursting with colours, the scattered rainbow they were. You felt as free as a bird and it was a wonderful feeling---but, you were also caged with guilt.

You smiled as you kneeled down and placed the bouquet of white lilacs and tulips on the gravestone, symbolizing innocence and peace respectively. Your eyes began to burn as you read the words engraved on the gravestone.

Byun Baekhyun

1992 - 2022

May he rest in peace with the satisfaction of having
entertained millions of people throughout his lifetime.

After all

In the end
Even the stars
Choose destruction
Over life.

"Oppa." You called out softly as you quickly wiped the tear that fell from your eyes. No, he wouldn't want to see you crying like this.

"How have you been?" You smiled at his photo fixed on the gravestone.

"Me? I've been awesome." You chuckled, creating a monologue.

"I still have troubles with keeping my hair untangled. I wish you could braid it for me." You swallowed down the lump in your throat. "Poor Jin, he had to learn how to braid hair because of me."

You laughed as you remembered how Jin practiced braiding hair on his fiancée just for you but ended up making a mess of her hair. He was a perfectionist now though.

"Naya and Jimin are expecting another child. A girl this time. Jimin doesn't know yet and Naya's gonna surprise him this evening." You explained with a fond smile on your face at the thought of the couple.

"Taehyung? Taehyung's great. He's been treating me well so don't worry. He loves me a lot and I do too. It's such a relief that I fell for someone like him. I'm the happiest woman on earth to have a loving husband like him."

A lot had happened in the past ten years. After you and Taehyung had reunited, you learnt what had happened when you were away.

Twilight had been on a hiatus for ten months as the girls refused to work without you. You felt grateful to have members like them. BTS was on a hiatus for six months as well and they had made a comeback before Taehyung had come to get you back in Africa. The hiatuses were not explained to the fans and they were confused for quite a while but in the end, everything turned out well.

As for Baekhyun, fans were told that he had passed away from a chronic illness. The entire world mourned for him.

It was hard for you.

It was hard to see posters of him stuck all over the town in remembrance. Guilt gnawed at you every single moment. You even blamed yourself for what happened to him.

Thanks to Taehyung, you didn't go crazy.

He kept you sane. He comforted and consoled you. He told you that it was Baekhyun's choice to save you and that it wasn't your fault that he ended up in a worse condition. He told you that when Baekhyun had made you promise him that you'd live, he meant a happy life. Not a life filled with guilt and regret.