The Unrequited Love

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Hanahaki:
A fictional illness in which a person bearing an unrequited love coughs up flower petals until they die or their feelings are reciprocated.

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He breathed. "Y/n, believe me when I say this. Your ex doesn't love that woman."

"W-what did you say?"

"Your exdoesn't love that woman– your childhood friend."

I laughed a little, and little and little, so much that it became a loud laugh. I was looking like a maniac. "It's so easy for you to make fun of my situation, isn't it?"

"What?"

"I love him so dearly. So much that his absence haunts me. So please don't make me see the things which better remain in dreams. I'm anyway going to die soon," I smiled wryly.

"Is talking about death necessary!"

"That's the reality, Jimin-ssi."

"And you can change it. You love him, don't you? What if I told you there's another side to the story? That there's a way you can have him back? That there's a way your Hanahaki can be cured?"

He said so many things, but all I could catch was another side to the story. Another side to the story; it had ignited a spark of desperate hope in me. I really wanted the other side of the story, as per Jimin, to say that it was just a misunderstanding and that whatever Jungkook did or was doing, was for a reason.

"Another side to the story? What can it be?" I asked nonchalantly.

"I don't know that as of yet," Jimin said. "But looking at the way he behaves with her, it definitely seems that he's doing it just for the sake of showing it. I think, deep downhe still has feelings for you."

That was the sentence I had been dying to hear and also believe. Although I would've liked it more if Jungkook himself admitted it. But I wasn't in a situation where I could expect much, could I? So with whatever was given to me, I smiled with tears in my eyes, and happily agreed. "Jimin-ssi, please tell me what I should do."

Jimin's eyes formed a crescent moon as he mumbled, "Thank you," which I didn't pay much attention to, because I was already busy picturing Jungkook and me together. The happy tears shining in my eyes, I waited impatiently for him to answer. With a firm voice he said, "Use me to get him back. Use me as fuel to set his heart on fire. Fake dating me."

The smile on my face was wiped off as I heard him say that.

Fake dating? There was no bigger joke than that. I chuckled glumly. "It is not a movie we're in Jimin-ssi. Do you think we'll pretend and he'll not know? First of all, will he even believe it!? Thank you for making the effort Jimin-ssi, but it's not going to work."

"How do you know, huh? You haven't even tried." He held my shoulders. "Just because you think it's impossible you're going to give up? Die without trying? Without fighting back? You're Ahn Y/n, you've achieved so much in life. Without Jungkook. Just because he left you, you're gonna give up on life itself? Break so easily? Not even try to have him back? Not even try to bounce back?"

"Jimin-ssi it's not about can't. It's about don't. I don't want to. I'm at this point, exhausted; my heart is. I don't have much hope for anything. For my future. For my fate. So please don't try to persuade me further. This idea is a flop."

"Fine. Rethink over it again, you have some time," Jimin said. "Until then keep yourself busy with this good news. I've got you hired in 'ZZZ'! Tadaa!!" he squealed dramatically. Now the old Jimin was back, all annoying and goofy. The serious look had vanished off his face.