The Red of the Rose | Taeyong

31 | 13 o'clock

When Miah opened her eyes again, it was still dark. The gates of the main hall were closed and curtains on the windows were drawn. Nobody could see anything except for shadowy silhouettes shuffling in the dark.

Amidst the low murmur of the crowd and the few flashlights on people's phones, Miah stood still as though completely unaware of the outside world. She could not feel her hands and feet anymore and could only hear a loud ringing in her ears. Suddenly, she felt a tug on her arm and let herself be pulled away to a corner.

Taeyong had pulled her beneath a narrow window, allowing for a faint stream of moonlight to fall over their faces. For the first time since the beginning of the performance, the two looked into each other's eyes but stayed quiet.

'Miah.' Taeyong could not manage anything else.

But Miah had a question for him, 'Is this the truth?'

Taeyong bowed his head in shame again, unable to meet her eyes. His silence was answer enough for her. She pushed his hand away and ran out of the main hall, leaving Taeyong to break down in that isolated corner all by himself.

'Taeyong!' It was Doyoung's voice. Somewhere in the dark, Doyoung had managed to find him.

'Jaehyun got the lights for you. Go after her. Don't let her go,' Doyoung said, shaking Taeyong by the shoulder. 'Taeyong. Wake up!'

Taeyong was so shaken that it took him a while to register Doyoung's words.

'Go. Go after her!' Doyoung pushed him towards the door and Taeyong ran into the cold night, not knowing where to go.

It was freezing cold outside, but Miah felt nothing. Her face was streaming with tears, with one hand holding her dress, and the other clutching her heart as she ran down the path from the mansion. She had only managed to get halfway across the lawn when Taeyong grabbed her by the elbow and spun her around.

Seeing her in that state, instinctively, Taeyong removed his jacket and placed it on her but the moment it touched her body, she flinched and threw the jacket on the ground.

'Get away from me,' Miah yelled. 'I don't want anything to do with you.'

'Miah, I'm sorry,' he finally spoke, his voice trembling as the words came out. 'I am so sorry. Please...'

'Sorry? You- both of you did this to me, played with me!' Miah was choking on air, gasping for breath as she sobbed. 'I- I thought... You! How can you even say sorry?' She held onto his collar, crying as she yelled, 'Why did you do this to me? I didn't do anything! I didn't post anything!'

'I know. I know, Miah. I was stupid. It's me. I am the one to blame. Please, please don't leave me. Miah, please.' Taeyong had no idea what to say.

'Leave you? Isn't that what you wanted? Happy now? Got revenge for your friend, hm?' Miah held her head, crying. 'Oh god, why? Why is this happening to me? What am I being punished for?'

In that cold night, Miah's sobs reverberated through the misty lawn, hitting the walls of the mansion.

'I am innocent,' Miah cried out, hoarsely. 'I didn't do anything. Why can't nobody believe me?' She fell to the ground. 'I trusted you, Taeyong. And you-' She cried into her own hands covering her face.

Taeyong bent down to hold her shoulders. 'Miah, I believe you. I do. Please if you will listen to me. I was going to tell you, Miah. Tonight. I swear I was going to tell you everything.'

'Don't touch me,' Miah cried and shoved him away and got up from the wet grass.

'You are the worst thing that has ever happened to me,' she said, her tone steadying. 'I don't want to see you ever again, Taeyong.' And she ran away leaving Taeyong on the ground in a mess.