Fragments of the Past

Chapter 4: Unveiling the Past

The day had been long and tiring, leaving me yearning for a moment of solace in the familiar embrace of my living room. I sank into the plush sofa, seeking refuge in the captivating drama playing on the screen. The soft glow of the TV illuminated the room, casting dancing shadows on the walls. As I became engrossed in the story, the world outside faded away, and I allowed myself to be swept away by the fictional realm.

Exhaustion wrapped around me like a heavy blanket, luring me into a deep slumber. The TV continued its murmuring soundtrack, lulling me further into dreams. In the serenity of the night, I found solace, a respite from the chaos of my own life.

But as the night wore on, my dreams were abruptly shattered by the jarring sound of a ringing phone. Startled, I blinked away the remnants of sleep and reached for my phone, its glow piercing the darkness of the room. The caller ID displayed an unfamiliar number, causing a tinge of unease to creep up my spine. Who could be calling at this ungodly hour?

With a mix of annoyance and concern, I answered the call, bracing myself to find a tipsy Taehyung on the other end of the line. The air crackled with anticipation as I brought the phone to my ear, the sound of my own breath mingling with the distant buzz of the television.

"Taehyung, I swear if you're too drunk to drive and that's why you're calling, I will kill you because I was having my best sleep in ages," I grumbled, the weariness evident in my voice.

There was a moment of silence, a pregnant pause that hung in the air, before a voice from the past shattered the fragile tranquility. It was a voice that had haunted my thoughts and dreams for years, a voice that carried with it a mix of nostalgia and pain.

"It's not Taehyung. It's me," the voice replied, its timbre dripping with a bittersweet sadness that sliced through the air, leaving a chill in its wake.

"Y... Yoongi?" I stammered, my heart breaking into a million shattered pieces. How could he be calling me now, after all this time? The room seemed to spin as memories flooded my mind, the weight of unanswered questions and unresolved emotions threatening to suffocate me.

"So you really didn't forget my voice, huh?" Yoongi's voice quivered with a vulnerability that pierced my soul. It was a vulnerability I had longed to see, yet one that now left me teetering on the precipice of a chasm I was not ready to confront.

"Why are you calling?" I managed to whisper, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and disbelief. We hadn't spoken in ages, and now, out of the blue, he was breaking the silence that had lingered between us.

"I thought I could escape the past, but I received an invitation letter," Yoongi confessed, his words laden with an undercurrent of vulnerability and regret.

"Invitation letter? What are you talking about?" I struggled to grasp his cryptic words, my mind racing with possibilities.

"To Jin's wedding. I guess by your reaction, you've lost contact with them too," Yoongi chuckled bitterly. "I'm not the only one who ran away, it seems."

Speechless, I couldn't find the words to respond. It felt as though a ball had been thrown directly at my heart, leaving me breathless and unable to comprehend the sudden rush of emotions flooding within me.

The silence between us grew, suffocating in its weight. What was there left to say? I had nothing to tell him. Tears welled up in my eyes, threatening to spill over, and I considered ending the call, unable to bear the overwhelming surge of emotions that threatened to engulf me.

But before I could hang up, Yoongi spoke again, his voice tinged with regret and the effects of alcohol. "Listen, I know it's late, and I won't be surprised if you hang up on me right away. But the truth is, I'm pretty drunk. Otherwise, I wouldn't have called you. I deleted your number a long time ago, trying to erase you from my life, but somehow, I still remember it by heart."