Yours Truly

Epilogue

She felt the sappy liquid run down her back. She gasped, in a sudden need for air. She sprung up from the floor. Amidst her paints and brushes. The canvas with his eyes upfront, half-done. She tried gaining back her momentum, but it was all too real. The nightmare felt too real. She could still feel the pain, the horror. And out of nowhere, Sierra started sobbing. Breaking down completely. She hugged her knees, rummaging around for her phone. She could barely breathe. Whatever she saw, can't come true. Whatever she felt, won't come true. It was a nightmare. A very vivid one. She dialled the number out of memory. And it rang and rang and rang. Till a feminine voice answered,
"Allo oui, j'écoute. C'est Marlène Moreau qui parle."
"Mère, c'est moi ta fille. Sierra Juliette Jeong. Jeong Ae-ra. Mère, pardonne-moi si je t'ai blessé. Je t'ai pardonné toute la douleur. Réconcilions-nous, mère. s'il te plaît."
"Reviendras-tu à la maison?"
She gulped. Taking a breath, rubbing her drippy nose, she said in her perfect french,
"Je suis a la maison. je n'irai nulle part mère. Je voulais juste me réconcilier avec toi. Je ne serai plus l'enfant de 15 ans que j'étais."
"Tu es un oiseau qui s'envole."
Her mother paused. Honestly, it felt good to start somewhere. And reconciling probably was better. But it's just that, perhaps they'll never be at the same page. Her mother whispered something to someone. She knew her father was also there. In a broken accent, her mother said,
"Haengbokhaseoyo, Sierra."
She giggled through her tears. She smiled,
"Dangsindoyo, eomeonim-abeonim."

Next morning, Sierra went to school and hugged Lisa and Chaeyoung with her whole heart. The girls just thought that she was stressed. She asked Jennie on a date to the museum next weekend and painted Jisoo's nails. She even got Jennie some bread, Jisoo's banana milk, Lisa her Chocolate milk and Rosé some corndogs. She went ahead and talked to the quiet doe eyed boy at the corner of the room, and talked about how they were practically twins. They had the same birthday, they same attitude, same attributes. Soon they bonded like never before. She saw the tall, well built guy practice french in his school uniform. She smiled and offered to help him, as she is a native speaker. The guy smiled,
"Sierra right?"
"Yeah... Or you can call me Ae-ra, if it rolls of the tongue easier."
"Nah... You ask everyone to call you Sierra, right? I respect your boundaries."
She giggled, all of the images from the nightmare flashing in front of her eyes,
"Kim Namjoon sunbae, you are a really good person."
She then found Hoseok, tying his shoelaces. She greeted him with a big smile. The next person she crossed was Park Jimin. She went ahead and greeted him,
"Annyeong, sunbae."
The guy greeted her back,
"Annyeong, Sierra right? Park Chaeyoung's friend?"
"Yes! Right. I am Park Chaeyoung's friend. Sunbae, you are so cool. You can sing and can dance. You should never give up. Always great. My friend Chaeyoung is good at singing too. You can always talk with her. You know birds of the same feather flock together? You should talk to her. She is in the music room practicing now."
Jimin smiled, nodding,
"Thank you Sierra-ssi."
And then she saw him take a deep breath. He soon disappeared, heading towards the music room. She giggled, knowing, there are things that would never change. Like the heart. She then went to the basketball court. Not alone, she took Jennie with her, hands in hands. Jennie asked,
"Why are you taking me?"
She didn't say a word, but smiled. The girls went to the basketball court. And there was the cat like boy. Sierra went ahead and she bowed,
"Annyeong, sunbae. You are a part of the basketball club already, but would you like to sign up for another club? Like, I'm part of the art club. Even Jungkook-ssi is a part of it. Or you can try the drama club, or perhaps the music..."
He non-chalantly said,
"No I'm good. But if I had to I'd join the club she is at."
He pointed towards Kim Jennie. Her cheeks flushed at his words. She stammered,
"I have a name. It's Jennie Kim."
"The name's Min Yoongi. And I... I think I have a crush on you."
She got entirely flustered, as he cheekily placed his heada on his knee. His eyes melted against her face. As if he would risk his all. Sierra smiled, knowing, whatever it maybe. This people would be in love. She stepped away from the pair.
As she walked towards the abandoned classroom. She noticed two pairs. Lisa had bumped into Jungkook, and both of them were vigorously bowing the other, resulting them into bumping their heads. Both of them a shy mess. And the other sight was of Namjoon taking a book from Jisoo. Maybe he needed the book. Maybe he needed something to go upto Jisoo.
As he stood in front of the door, she felt a bittersweet rush inside her. The man inside, was in love with her in her dream. It felt heartwarmingly warm, that someone was in love with her to that level. But the pain, it makes her sick to the stomach. Today was supposed to be the arcade day. If she changes today, that would change everything. From now on, no arcades at all. She knocked on the door twice,
"Is someone in there?"
It was pindrop silence inside. She decided, to step away. Maybe the time wasn't right. But as she stepped away, she remembered all the regrets she had in the nightmare. All that could've gone right. She decided not to regret anything anymore. She pushed the door open, to see him. Kim Taehyung. Sharp features, headphones on. Vibing to music. He was too engrossed in the music. So she decided not to bother him now. As she was about to leave, the deep voice behind him echoed,
"Don't leave. Stay."
It felt like a sudden thud inside her heart. His voice. His words, it all brought back memories. But she won't repeat history. She smiled as she slowly walked towards him. She smoothened her skirt and sat right next to him. She murmurmed,
"Starting today, I'll never leave."
Taehyung smiled. He gave her another one of his earphone,
"Let's keep that promise, this time."