ℕ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕖 [ᴋᴛʜ]

Memories - IV

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Soo-min saw the ball flying toward Hana before anyone else did. Hana, completely lost in her phone, had no idea what was coming.

Just as Soo-min was about to call out, Taehyung reacted, sprinting toward Hana. In seconds, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close, shielding her from the danger.

Without thinking, Soo-min ran too.

 Her instincts took over, and She found herself running toward them, her arms wrapping around both of them. She hugged them tightly, but the moment felt wrong—Taehyung was holding Hana, not her. 

Her grip felt desperate, like she was trying to hold on to something she knew wasn't hers.

And then—pain.

The football slammed into her side.

 She gasped, the shock hitting her like a wave. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground, clutching her side. 

The pain was sharp, but what hurt more was seeing Taehyung's arms still around Hana.

As she fell, she noticed her lily on the ground, white and pure—until her blood splattered onto its petals, staining it red. It was as if her unspoken feelings had bled out right there.

Everything went dark.

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Soo-min's eyes fluttered open to the sterile white of the hospital room, everything felt foggy. Her body ached, but her mind was sharp enough to notice the familiar face beside her bed. Taehyung.

"Min.........Finally you're awake," he said, relief flooding his voice. "How are you feeling?"

She tried to sit up but immediately winced at the pain in her side. "I'm... fine," she muttered, though the throbbing in her ribs told a different story. "What happened?"

 "You got hit by the ball," Taehyung explained, his tone heavy with guilt. "I didn't even realize you were there until........ after. You saved us. If you hadn't—if you hadn't jumped in like that—I could've been seriously hurt."

Soo-min swallowed, her heart tightening at his words.  'Us.'

Of course. Always  him and her.

Taehyung leaned forward, his eyes searching hers. "Why did you do it, Min? You could've been seriously hurt. You are hurt."

'Yes, I am hurt and it would hurt even more if it were you in place of me, cause I couldn't stand the thought of you getting hurt.'   she thought, but the words stayed locked inside.

"Well... I didn't want Hana crying over you," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Taehyung's eyes softened.

Silence.

 "I just.......didn't want anyone to get hurt," she whispered, looking away from his brown eyes that always felt too warm, too comforting.

'I didn't want you to get hurt',   she thought

Taehyung sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to say... I'm just really thankful. You're always so selfless, you know that?"

Selfless. The word stung. She wasn't selfless. She was selfish—selfish for loving him, for wanting him to see her, to care for her, the way he cared for Hana.

"Don't mention it," she whispered, her voice tight, the unspoken truth burning on the tip of her tongue.

Taehyung smiled, reaching over to gently pat her head. "Get some rest, okay? I'll be here if you need anything."

As he left, Soo-min's heart urged her to confess, but the words stayed stuck. When the door closed, she whispered to the empty room, "I did it for you."

But it was too late—always too late.

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Why do I keep hoping he'll see me when I'm always so invisible in his eyes?  

Is this pain worth it?   

Am I doomed to live in the shadows of his love for Hana?   

Am I just fooling myself, thinking he'll ever really get it?

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