For Life - Kim Seokjin ✔︎

#29 - Console

Aera's POV

As soon as I slowly creak the door open, I can already tell something's really wrong. Even though I already have an idea of something bad happening thanks to Jaesang, I didn't realise how bad it was until now.

I've never imagined anyone losing their arrow before; I've never heard about it. I've only heard about people's arrow changing direction, not disappearing completely.

As my eyes dart around to find Tara it doesn't take long. I can make out her figure lying underneath her bed covers, head covered by it too.

Every now and then I hear a sniffle, and I find my heart beginning to race even more.

I walk round the bed to where she is, slowly sitting down next to her. Laying my hand on top of what looks like her shoulder, I faintly speak.

"Tara?"

Her sniffling becomes louder when she begins to take the covers off her head to reveal her face. My heart sinks when I instantly notice her wet cheeks and red eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice comes out weak when she talks.

"Jaesang called me." I answer. "He said you came back from the resort, and you were upset about something."

Avoiding eye contact, she gulps and doesn't say a word.

"Please talk to me." I whisper with a little reassuring smile, rubbing her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Her mouth opens to speak but she can't find the words to describe what's happened.

My eyes then flicker to her hands brought up to her face lying next to her. And when I catch a glimpse of her wrist, I realise that what Jaesang said was true.

Her arrow is gone.

Sighing, I close my eyes and prepare myself for the worst. "Jaesang also mentioned...your wrist being bare."

Gulping, Tara faintly nods and repeatedly blinks. She's trying to stop the tears from flowing but she can't help it. And I don't blame her.

My lips part when her expression quietly breaks again, and she covers her face with both hands.

"It's gone." She chokes out behind her palms. "My arrow's gone Aera."

My hand lays on her back and other holding her arm, bringing her closer to me. But I still struggle to see why this has happened.

"I don't understand. I have never heard of arrows disappearing. So why has yours?"

Sniffling more now, she removes her hands from her face and breathes heavily. "Because his parents hate me."

I blink. "Whose parents? Jin's parents?"

Tara slowly nods. "And in a couple months it'll reappear and point to someone else."

...someone else?

"You mean...you and Jin..." I trail off, not wanting to say the words.

Again, Tara nods.

"Has his arrow disappeared too?"

Her head shakes. "No, just mine. But when mine appears again his will disappear and do the same thing."

I sit in silence, realising what major issues are going to rise from this. First Tara's arrow vanishes and then Jin's will? And by the end of it their arrows will both point to someone else?

"I was happy, Aera. I really was. I never would've imagined I would be but I was." She rubs her eyes with her knuckles. "But now it's just...ruined."