Yours Truly

102: When you throw all of yourself for me, I'll protect you

Taehyung used his teeth to hold the tie in place as he created the perfect knot. He glanced at Sierra working on her artwork, at the other corner of the room. He giggled. He says, it's for a special occasion. That's why she has been hiding it for the past couple of weeks. He didn't peak. He let her completely get into her zone.
She knew he was staring at her. She could feel it. She didn't look behind. She was too much in her zone. This type of concentration is now rare for her. She barely can get her mind to work. It's always distraction this, distraction that. She kept on with her strokes, following Claude Monet's style. She needs to finish it.
Taehyung smiled. He felt a warm fuzziness inside him. Sierra was slowly improving. She was on her meds. She wasn't hallucinating, or atleast she hasn't reported anything. She had gone back to drawing. She was eating her meals, slowly and trying to get better with it. She was vocalising her thoughts and she wasn't zoning out that often. She was watching K-dramas, listening to songs for comfort and sometimes laughing. He felt nice, knowing she might actually save herself.
He went ahead, eyes closed. If she doesn't want to show him her work yet, she shall not. He kissed her temples,
"I'll go now."
She covered her work up. Standing up to her feet. She smiled, standing on her toes. She kissed his closed eyelids,
"Good luck my Romeo. You'll do great at your photoshoot. I couldn't cheer you up like usual, sorry. But eitherways you'll do the best."
He pecked her forehead, then pressing his forehead on hers. He held her close, as close as possible. He whiffed in her fragrance. She smelt like the first time they met. Paint and warm cocoa.
He whispered,
"I probably have been thinking too much. But why does it feel as if when I let go, my world would end?"
She whispered back,
"Cause you love me."
He dreamily whispered,
"Do you love me?"
"Everything I do, is because I love you."
She pecked his nose, a bitter feeling ride up their throats. Maybe because they have gotten used to each other being together. Maybe because tehy are scared of losing each other, becaus ethat's how it is going around.

Taehyung took breaks amidst photoshoots. But none lasted more than a phonecall. "Are you alright, my Juliette?" "have you eaten?" "do you feel alright?" "if anything feels odd, even the slightest, just call me okay?". To his relief, everything was alright. She sounded alright. The photographers and the crew didn't like the fact, but he was the son of the tycoon Kims. Ofcourse they'd have to follow.
Taehyung didn't wait an extra second. He was scared. He was scared of the past. His heart still wrenched and he wanted to puke out his organs when he remembered Jimin. And Rosé. Also, Jisoo and his Namjoon Hyung. Jungkookie and Lalisa. Yoongi Hyung and Jennie. He had to stay focused. Sierra iss the last piece of his puzzle. Without her, he's just be an empty bottle drifting off at a sea. Without her, he is a dangerous shadow. Without her, he'll be nothing.
He twisted the key in. He had bought the cake Sierra loves. He took off his shoes, the very moment he got into the apartment. Kim Taehyung hated shoes. No reason at all, he just hated it. There was a smiling husk in his voice as he called,
"I'm back, My lady."
He continued calling her as he placed the cake on the table,
"Today was stressful. That's why brought some cake, my Juliette, exactly the kind you like..."
His heart stumbled, getting no response at all. Maybe she was painting. She usually got entirely silent when she got into her zone. Still somethingin him kept rushing. Why? Why was it that he was getting so worked up? As if he'd stop breathing any moment now. He strutted towards the bedroom and the kitchen, then the washroom. There was no trace of her. It was start to hurt him. He still wanted to keep the hope alive. She was painting, he wanted to believe. But unfortunately, the house was too small. After a minute or two, he stumbled upon her painting area. His feet that were like lead took him to the canvas. His heart clenched as his vision got blurry.

She smiled at him, sitting in front of a blank canvas. She had her feet on the stool, hair in a messy bun. She smiled, with all her heart,
"Oppa, I won't leave you."

But a blunt pain took over him. He fell to his knees clutching his heart. He gagged, as if he'll puke any moment. He looked up again, through his tears. There was no one, but a painting and a letter. He felt blood at the back of his throat. His tears stinged him. He tried screaming her name. But nothing came out, instead of sobs.
He scolded himself,
"Get it together Kim Taehyung."
But the more he tried, the more he broke down. The pattern was way too similar. His shaky fingers grabbed the letter. He was quite gentle with it, because his hands were too numb to fasten the work. He slipped up a paper, know too well she wrote it,
"Dear Kim Taehyung
I am sorry. If there was any word that'll show you the pain I took away inside me, I would write it here. But no one has ever been in as much pain as me. And I know, if I stay, I will hurt you. But I love you. I can't hurt you, Kim Taehyung. I love you. I loved you since day one. I loved you when you didn't know my existence. I loved you when you were far, when you were near. I loved you when we were just shadows. When you were Romeo I loved you. When you were Kim Taehyung I loved you. I have never not loved you. Since the beginning of time, perhaps I have loved you. Since the beginning of time, we were meant to be. But we were not probably meant to last. I'm sorry Kim Taehyung. I'm sorry that I put you through all these. I'm sorry I took away your heart bit by bit. I'm sorry that I couldn't stay. I'm sorry that I am making you cry. But thank you. For making my life colourful. For saving me, once and everytime. For staying with me, for loving me. Thanks for going against the world for me. Thank you for every memory and every moment. If there shall be a next life, I want another chance. Where I do not mess up. Where I meet you and love you and stay forever. Saranghae, my Romeo-nim.

Yours truly,
Your Juliette."

His eyes moved towards the canvas in front of him. All of them. Smiling, lively, happy. He rubbed the tears away, and hoarsely mumbled to himself,
"I promised not to let go of you till the last, my Juliette. I will save you. This time and everytime. I will save you my Juliette."