𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆 | 𝒆𝒏𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒆𝒏 (𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨)

30

If I could run through time and become an adult
I will hold your hand in this cruel world

GFRIEND - Rough

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The rain continued pouring down the window pane of the bus, tinting everything as a blur. The cold air gave her a shiver as Chaerin stared at the woman with confusion written on her eyes. There was something in her eyes that made her quite familiar... "Byul-unnie?" She utters with a lump on her throat, looking straight at the tearing up woman beside her.

Tears trickled down the pale face of the woman, trembling, reaching out for her palm. The warmth emitted from her palm soothed out the faint coldness of Byul's hand. It was freezing despite the slight coldness of the temperature of the air condition of the bus. She glanced at the smudged dried blood on the cuffs of Unnie's dress shirt. That was the scariest part, and she does not know if unnie knew.

"Why did you not contact us?" From the sound of unnie's voice, she could spot the hidden sadness on her words. She flinched as her eyes came in contact with the familiar hazel brown eyes... like her own. But there was something wrong. Everything about her was different all throughout the years. She does not radiate the cheery atmosphere nor the same personality she knew.

Everything about her screams out the journey she experienced. It was visible on her physique that she cried minutes prior. Or how there was a scent of alcohol that lingered down Unnie's shirt that was familiar. Judging by the sweat that occupies her forehead, she must have run somewhere.

"I... was busy," she muttered out to her, averting her gaze. Why is it that she could no longer look at her eyes? Is it because of the similarity of the color hues to her mother? The same hazel brown eyes that glinted with honey as the sun shines upon it. The metallic taste of blood mixed in with her saliva as she stopped biting her lips.

Fuck, she did it again. She fiddles with her knuckles, a habit she developed to divert her attention from harm. Little by little, the panic she experiences vanishes along with the confusion. "Well, what... happened on your life?"

Byul let out a slight smile as Chaerin notices the golden ring on her ring finger. She let out a gasp, covering her gaped mouth in surprise. "Oh my goodness," she breathed out as Byul raised her pale hand.

"I am now married," Byul replied, and Chaerin swore she saw a glint of sadness in her eyes. She held the raised hand, caressing the cold hands of her cousin. "I finally married him."

"But he is now..." Unnie did not finish her words as Chaerin bit her lips in guilt. She did not mean to bring up a heavy atmosphere when they finally met. In the corner of her eyes, unnie was taking in shallow breaths with the slight shaking of her chest.

They sat there in silence, waiting for unnie to calm down. This situation was familiar. "Anyway... Even if he is gone, I hope that I could bring in some justice on the Yang family name." Chaerin smiled at her, after all those years, Byul was still the same.

"Are you alright?" Chaerin asks, holding the outstretched hand of unnie who was cold. No... No... Everything is happening the same way as before. She could not escape it. Her eyes wandered everywhere as tears dripped down her eyes.

"Help! Anyone!" All she could do was scream. Everyone hurried to bring out their phone as flashes and cameras were on her. At the corner of her eye, she could see a faint water that dripped down the seat. "No! Unnie, don't leave me... please."

No... Please... Not again...

To make sure that she was not hallucinating, she ripped out the bag that covers the torso of unnie. There it was. As she suspected. Unnie was pregnant, and she hid it. Like what Heeyeon-unnie did. Why is it that everything happened right before her? Did she do anything wrong? Was... Was she cursed like what others said?

With all the commotion, the driver parked the vehicle away from the bustling roads. She remained hugging Byul-unnie who was busy screaming with her legs spread apart. A kind woman assisted her from the delivery albeit quite earlier than the supposed due date. "Will she be alright?" Her questions were not heard nor answered. And it would be like before.

She remained the tight grip she had onto the pregnant woman's hand. Although quite faint, she could see the changes from the warmth emitted on her hand. Ever so , the warmth is disappearing as Chaerin felt the same constricting pain years ago. Byul was struggling to stay alive, and she could not do anything. Like what happened before, she was useless.

"Jungwon," Unnie mutters out as her desperate eyes landed onto her. She has seen those eyes before. No... Tears kept flowing as she smiled at her, at least trying to comfort her. "I- What a beautiful name," she uttered out with choked sobs.

"Thank you... It was... based on his father," Byul replied with a hoarse voice from screaming. Her hands gripped her palms as it shook her awake, and Chaerin only gave her a worrying smile. "I... finally escaped the hospital," Byul said.

Her eyes widened in shock at the news. The strong and easy-going cousin of hers was in the hospital? There was a pause from unnie, and it was not like her... she was avoiding the question. Byul stared at the distance, reminiscing with her eyes losing the glow little by little.

Everything was a blur even with the crowd separating to make way for the paramedics. She could not utter a sound, and the memories kicked in. "No..."

Watching the scene made it much worse as she could see how minute by minute her distant cousin got weaker. There were no words uttered with parched throat nor tears dropping as her eyes were dry from crying.

And like that, baby Jungwon arrived in the world.