FORGED IN FIRE

Chapter 15

Taehyung hurried into his room, his footsteps echoing loudly in the silent corridor as he slammed the door shut behind him. The sudden sound startled y'n as she reached for the door handle, her concern growing with each Passing moment. Leaning heavily against the door, Taehyung struggled to catch his breath, each gasp a stark reminder of the overwhelming emotions crashing over him like a relentless storm.

Memories of his sister, Ha-rin, flooded his mind like a tumultuous tide, each one a sharp Pang Piercing his already wounded heart, For years, he had believed she was living a better life far away from him, never once hearing from her after she left Korea. But now, faced with the bitter reality of her absence from this world, he felt the weight of her loss like never before.

Tears blurred his vision as he sank to the floor, the weight of grief Pressing down on him like a suffocating blanket, In the solitude of his room, he felt utterly lost, adrift in a sea of Pain and confusion.

For so long, he had harbored resentment towards Ha-rin, blaming her for leaving him without understanding the true extent of her sacrifice, But now, knowing that everything she did was to Protect him from a bitter truth, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with regret. He wished he had fought harder to keep her by his side, to shield her from the cruel fate that had torn them apart,

As the realization of his loss washed over him, Taehyung began to sob uncontrollably, his voice choked with emotion as he whispered apologies Into the darkness. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Ha-rin... I'm sorry," he repeated, his heart heavy with remorse.

Y/n Persisted, her gentle knocks echoing through the door as she called out to Taehyung with soft urgency.

"Taehyung, Please open the door," she Pleaded, her voice a comforting melody amidst the chaos of his emotions.

Unable to hold back his tears, Taehyung crumbled further, hugging his knees tightly as he continued to sob. The wound from nine years ago had been reopened, leaving him drowning in despair.

Despite his silence, Y/n's Pleas continued, her voice a steady Presence outside the door. "You can hear me, right? I'm not asking you to talk, just let me in, Taehyung... Please..."

After a while, he finally gathered himself and summoned the strength to rise from the floor, exhaustion weighing heavily on his limbs.

Y/n's Persistent Pleas tugged at his heartstrings, urging him to reach out.

As he finally opened the door, Y/n's eyes met his with concern, her expression filled with empathy and understanding. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around him, Pulling him into a comforting embrace.

He was overwhelmed with emotions, his voice trembling as he spoke. "Please don't make it harder, Y\ n," he whispered, his words barely audible amidst the weight of his sorrow. "If you stay like this a little longer, I don't think I'll have the strength to let you go."

Taehyung couldn't shake off the thought that Y/n was just Providing temporary comfort, that she didn't truly love him. He braced himself for her eventual departure, unable to bear the idea of being left alone again.

Understanding his Pain, Y/n gently reassured him, her voice filled with compassion. "It's okay, Taehyung. I'm not asking you to let me go," she said softly. "You've helped me so much until now, at least I can do this much, right?"

After hearing this, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly, seeking solace as tears continued to stream down his cheeks, staining Y/n's clothes, For a while, they stood there in silence, finding solace in each other's Presence.

In that moment, amidst the quiet embrace, Taehyung felt a glimmer of Peace wash over him. The warmth of her touch offered a brief respite from the storm raging within his heart, reminding him that he wasn't alone in his Pain.

Y/n held him close, her touch a soothing balm against the raw edges of his emotions. She didn't try to offer empty words of comfort or false reassurances; Instead, she simply held him, allowing him to lean on her for support.

After staying like that for some time, Taehyung reluctantly released Y/n from his embrace and stood there silently, his head bowed low. She observed him closely, noticing the absence of the cheerful aura he had when she first met him. Her heart ached for him, knowing the weight of his grief.

Gently guiding him towards the bed, Y/n urged him to sit down, taking a seat beside him. The room was enveloped in heavy silence, each Passing moment filled with unspoken tension.

Finally, breaking the silence, Yin spoke softly, leaning
closer, her voice laced with concern. "I don't know if I should say this, but Please don't be angry with Namjoon," she began, carefully choosing her words.

"I understand you're hurt after learning the truth he kept hidden for so long. But he must have endured immense Pain carrying such a heavy secret. He lost his love, and he still carries that love within him. Don't you think you should forgive him and talk about it with him once?"

Taehyung's response was barely audible, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm not angry with him," he admitted, his tone heavy with resignation and sorrow.

Y/n leaned back slightly, Processing his words. "You're not? I'm sorry, it seemed like you were mad at him," she said softly.

"I'm just hurt to hear that he suffered alone all these years and I had no idea," Taehyung confessed in a low tone, his voice filled with emotion. "He must be dying inside, but he still took care of me without letting me know about anything."

"It's not too late; you can ask him to Pour out all the Pain he had buried inside his heart," Y/n said softly, her words offering reassurance to Taehyung. He looked into her eyes and found comfort in her Presence, nodding with a faint smile. But hesitancy lingered in his expression as he voiced his concern, "I'm afraid I might hurt his feelings.

Y/n smiled softly, her gaze gentle as she responded, "Don't worry. You may not be his brother by blood, but you still hold a special Place in his life, I think he wants to talk with you too, about everything. Maybe he was just holding himself back until now."

Taehyung nodded, feeling a sense of resolve building
within him. "I'll go see him now," he affirmed.

Y/n smiled at him, reaching out to lightly squeeze the back of his hand in reassurance. He returned the gesture with a small smile before getting up from the bed. Glancing at her once more, he remarked, "It's late now, you must be tired. You can go and sleep."

"Don't worry about me; take your time," Y/n reassured him, standing up as well. "I'm going back to my room. Let me know if you need me."

With a nod of gratitude, Taehyung watched her leave before making his way to the rooftop. With a heavy heart, Taehyung ascended to the rooftop, his footsteps heavy with the weight of unresolved emotions. As he arrived, he found Namjoon standing there, his gaze fixed upon the starry night sky.

The silence between them was thick with unspoken sorrow, each of them grappling with their own Pain. Taehyung swallowed hard, his throat tight with the words he longed to express.

"Hyung," he began, his voice trembling slightly. "Can we talk?"

Namjoon turned to face him, his eyes reflecting both surprise and understanding. "Of course," he replied softly, his tone heavy with empathy. Tears brimmed in Taehyung's eyes as he met Namjoon's gaze, the weight of their shared grief hanging heavy in the air.

"What happened to her? How did she... Pass away?"