After five long years of searching for Jennie, Kim Taehyung found nothing but a single letter she left behind-an enigmatic farewell that shattered his world. With no trace of her whereabouts, he had been left to navigate the void she left in his lif...
"Hyung, our new album was a success! I’m so happy our efforts didn’t go in vain!" Jungkook said as he rushed into the living room, phone in hand, excitement clear in his voice.
"I know, we’ve already got over 400 million views in 24 hours," Jimin added, scrolling through the streams on his phone.
"Yes! Let’s all celebrate tonight! It’s well deserved," Hobi said with his usual energy.
"By the way, where’s Taehyung?" Jin asked, looking around.
"He went to the company to discuss some work," RM replied casually.
---
At the company headquarters, Taehyung sat across from Bang PD, who had a document in front of him.
“Taehyung, we’re planning to sign you as the brand ambassador for a major cosmetics brand. It’s an international brand that’s become widely successful in recent years. This could be a great opportunity for you," Bang PD explained.
Taehyung leaned back in his chair, considering. "I’ll think about it."
"You should. The company’s analysis shows your previous collaboration with VT Cosmetics was a huge success. Ruby Cosmetics is just as big, maybe even bigger. I’d recommend you take it," Bang PD added with a smile.
Taehyung nodded. "Alright, I’ll let you know by tonight." He stood up and left the room, deep in thought.
---
Later that afternoon, back at their shared house, RM noticed Taehyung seemed preoccupied.
"Taehyung, what did Bang PD want this morning? Is something wrong?" RM asked as Taehyung walked into the living room.
"Nothing serious. He just asked me to sign as an ambassador for a cosmetics brand," Taehyung responded, taking a seat.
"Which brand?" RM asked, curious.
"In the contract, it says Ruby Cosmetics. It's an international brand that’s really successful right now," Taehyung said, casually scrolling through his phone.
"That’s a great opportunity, Taehyung. But we just finished promoting the album, and we have a world tour coming up next month. We only get a small break, and if you sign this contract, you’ll be back to work again. You need to rest, too," RM said, concern etched on his face.
"I know, but hyung, you know me. I like keeping busy. I don’t want to miss any opportunity that comes my way," Taehyung replied, his voice steady but distant.
RM sighed. "You’ve been working nonstop for the past five years. After the military service, you’ve done hundreds of endorsements, solo projects, variety shows, world tours, and album promotions. You need to slow down. You can’t keep running like this forever."
Taehyung looked away, his jaw tightening. "I... I can’t stop, hyung."
RM leaned forward, his voice softening. "Taehyung, are you still holding onto what happened? It wasn’t your fault. She left because she wanted you to be happy, not to burn yourself out like this. Even she wouldn’t want to see you this way."
"I don’t know, hyung." Taehyung’s voice cracked slightly. "I have to keep going—for both of us. Even though everyone’s forgotten her, I’ll always remember."
RM’s heart sank, seeing the pain in his friend’s eyes. "You haven’t found any trace of her in the past five years. That has to mean she doesn’t want you to look for her. Maybe she wants you to move on... to be happy."
Taehyung shook his head, his eyes glassy with emotion. "How can I move on? I’ve tried. I’ve tried a hundred times, but I can’t. She was the reason I kept going, and she’s still the reason I live now. I’ll keep searching for her until I find her."
Without another word, Taehyung stood up and left the house, leaving RM staring after him, his heart heavy.
---
Later that evening, Taehyung was back at the company. He dialed his manager's number, his mind made up.
" I’ll sign the contract with Ruby Cosmetics."
"Great," Bang PD replied. "I’ve already spoken to them. They’re preparing the final contract, and it will be ready for you to sign tomorrow morning. If that’s your decision, you can make it official then."
Taehyung hung up the phone, his thoughts still swirling. He wasn’t just taking the deal because it was a good opportunity. Ruby Cosmetics… something about the name tugged at him. It felt like a thread to a part of his life he hadn’t been able to untangle, a part of his past that still held him tightly in its grasp.
But tomorrow, he would face that thread head-on.
-----
" Ms. Jane, how are you feeling now? You suddenly fell sick and couldn’t attend yesterday’s meeting. All the directors were already there, so we couldn’t cancel and had to proceed without you," he said, concern lacing his tone.
"It was just a mild fever," she replied, her voice distant. "What happened in the meeting?"
He took a breath, ready to dive in. "Well, we’ve officially opened branches globally. South Korea is the last market we haven’t tapped into. You know how passionate Koreans are about cosmetics; they tend to be more invested than any other market. The directors all agree that opening a branch there is essential for our growth."
Jennie’s gaze drifted to the window, her thoughts momentarily lost in the memories of her past—the pressures, the scrutiny, the way her life had unfolded in the spotlight. "O-Okay," she finally murmured, though the hesitation lingered in her tone.
He continued, encouraged by her response. "And there's a significant development—a top K-celebrity has offered to be our ambassador for the Korean branch. He’s immensely popular, and the directors are eager to move forward."
Jennie’s heart raced, caught between excitement and trepidation. "That’s great, but—"
"But?" he prompted gently, sensing her reluctance.
Taking a deep breath, she finally said, "I’ll ask Lucy to handle this project. She’s efficient and can manage the arrangements. I’m too busy with other tasks." Her voice was steady, but inside, she felt the old fears bubbling to the surface.
"Ms. Jane," he interjected carefully, "you’ve always been so involved in setting up new branches. Every time, you personally visited the location to ensure everything was just right. Are you sure you don’t want to see Korea for yourself?"
Jennie hesitated, the weight of her past bearing down on her. The thought of revisiting South Korea—a place filled with memories she had tried to escape—made her stomach twist. "No, I—I won’t," she said, her voice firmer than she felt.
"Are you certain? It’s a significant step for the company," he pressed, but she shook her head.
"I’m busy. Just prepare the contract for the celebrity and tell Lucy to make all the arrangements as soon as possible. We can’t afford any delays," she insisted, trying to push the memories aside.
With that, she turned and walked away, a mixture of determination and unresolved feelings lingering in the air behind her.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
