𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑✓

-25-

Anthea wasn't prepared for this

She wasn't prepared for the time Jimin would randomly show up to her house. She wasn't prepared for the day he'd want to clear things up with her.

She didn't know where to begin.

And it wasn't reassuring seeing Yoongi tag along too—someone who she hasn't apologised to since the day of the funeral.

Theo chirped, rubbing himself on Yoongi's leg as the man stood awkwardly in the door frame. Jimin, on the other hand, had made himself comfortable on the dining chair in the kitchen.

"Uh- Yoongi you can sit down too." Anthea stuttered, showing him to the living room. And the man quietly followed.

He had promised Jimin that only for today will he forget his love for Anthea and support Jimin as a good friend.

Just as Yoongi sat down on the couch, he heard Anthea mutter a quiet sorry. And he immediately knew what she was referring to.

"It's fine." He smiled strenuously. "You two needed to have that confrontation. Now go, clear things out once and for all."

Anthea nodded before entering the kitchen.

And Yoongi sat there on the couch, with a purring Theo curled besides his feet.

—

"Here you go," Anthea handed a cup of coffee to Jimin before taking a seat right across from him.

"So..." she began, trying to lure Jimin into speaking first. She honestly had no intention of clearing things out today—maybe because letting this continue brought her comfort over the fact that she was yet to face her past.

But she got too comfortable living life where both her and Jimin were pained from the memories of the past, while moving forward as if everything was fine.

It wasn't fine.

So now, for the first time since they'd broken up, Jimin and Anthea were ready to listen to each other.

"Look Anthea, I know there's a lot of things that happened within the span of those few months after your injury that I can't fathom ever experiencing. You went through a turmoil of emotions and I can only imagine how devastating it must all have been to you."

Anthea felt tears prick her eyes, but she continued to listen.

"I want to start by apologising for what I said that day. I obviously was insensitive about your situation and didn't think twice before disregarding your injury or your feelings." Jimin hung his head low.

Anthea shook her head.

"It's alright, I understand we were both pretty heated up at that moment." She replied and Jimin felt a bit confident about the conversation.

Maybe things might take a turn for the better, and the two would finally find their closure.

"I heard about that day from Thomas. You'd injured yourself for the sixth time that week, and Thomas kept telling me how pathetic he felt. How he couldn't manage to perform that single step with you lifted above his head."

"You know I was away right?" Jimin suddenly asked. And Anthea shook her head slowly.

"I wasn't aware until after the incident. Hobi told me that you were out of town for an emergency."

And Jimin sighed.

"No wonder you blamed me. I mean, i truly am to blame for selecting someone who couldn't perform a difficult step and entrusting him with carrying the entire performance in just a few weeks practice. It was stupid of me. I never would've known how things would escalate into being this bad."

"It's alright now Jimin, it's all in the past."

"That day I was in Busan at my parents house. By the time I returned, you were already gone. Nobody informed me either, and I was so confused. Hoseok hyung blamed me for everything and I couldn't contact you at all."

"It's because I told them not to inform you." Anthea confessed.

"At the time, I wasn't aware of the gravity of the situation. Because this had happened many times before I thought of it as just a sprained ankle. I didn't want you to worry. But then the doctors told me that I had ruptured my ligament beyond repair."

Jimin winced at the news. His eyes involuntarily shifted down to Anthea's feet, and it was true. Her ankle was bruised permanently.

"After that day I just lost all motivation. I didn't feel like coming back to the studio once the manager told me it would be best if I quit. My parents left off to their own business after a week and I was left all alone. If it weren't for Hoseok and the little kitten he brought me, I would've remained lonely for a long time."

Silence washed over the two, and the once steaming cup of coffee had now turned cold and bitter.

"I can't believe things turned out this bad so soon." Jimin brought a hand to massage his temple. "If only I could've talked it out with you...we would've cleared this out long ago."

"No Jimin." Anthea firmly disagreed.

"It wasn't until right now that I grew the courage to finally face the past and clear things out. I guess I got too comfortable playing the victim that I forgot I lost my happiness through it. I was too scared to even acknowledge the fact that I went through those things in the past. And more so, I was afraid that I'd blame you for it."

"I needed you to stay away, or at least that's what I thought at the time. I don't know what good came out of it, but there were sure a lot of misunderstandings that were caused because of it."

"Yeah," Jimin chuckled.

"Don't worry Anthea, I can see you've grown so courageous and strong over the past few months. You've changed...for the better."

Anthea found herself crying at his words, unable to control the burst of emotions she felt at that very moment.

"I sincerely apologise for causing you pain." Jimin teared up, getting up his seat and walking closer to the woman before hugging her.

"And I'm sorry for making things so difficult for us." Anthea cried out.

As the two sniffled, embracing each other close, a young man peeked at the two before walking out the front door.

A solemn smile casted under the shadow of his cap.

-
TBC