The Second Choice

Take This Resignation

Y/N stood at the bar, nursing her drink as she watched the crowd dance under the flashing neon lights. The club was packed, music vibrating through her body as New Year's Eve celebrations reached their peak. Her older brother Marcus and younger brother Chris were somewhere on the dance floor, having a great time. Normally, she would have sent Taehyung a "Happy New Year" message by now, but this year was different. This year, she had blocked him, hurt and angry from his ghosting after their intimate night together on his birthday, just one day ago.

She clenched her jaw, trying to push the memory away. The way he had initiated everything, how they had made love so passionately, and how vulnerable she felt afterward. Yet, when she woke up, he was gone. No message, no explanation—just silence. It wasn't like Taehyung to disappear like that. He was her best friend for over ten years. He had seen her at her lowest, and she had always trusted him to be there. But now, he had ghosted her, like she was just another one of his meaningless hook-ups. It stung deeply, more than she wanted to admit.

"Are you okay, sis?" Marcus asked, coming up beside her, breathless from dancing. Chris joined them soon after, waving over the bartender for another round of drinks. They both had noticed how distant she'd been tonight, even though it was supposed to be a fun night out to ring in the new year.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Y/N lied, giving Marcus a tight smile. "Just thinking about... stuff."

Marcus raised an eyebrow but didn't push. He knew her well enough to sense when something was off, but he also knew she wasn't ready to talk about it. Instead, he draped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. "Come on, it's New Year's Eve! Let's forget about whatever's on your mind and have some fun tonight. You deserve it."

Y/N nodded, grateful for her brothers being there. But as they cheered for their drinks and toasted to the coming year, her mind drifted back to Taehyung. How could he just leave like that? Yes, she understood she had hurt him first. Being with Jimin, sneaking around—it was wrong, and she knew that. But what Taehyung did after their night together felt like a punishment. He had initiated everything between them, and then just vanished. It made her feel cheap, like she was just another body he could walk away from, despite their history.

"Fuck him," she muttered under her breath, taking a long sip of her drink.

"Who are we fuckin'?" Chris asked, overhearing her. He was grinning, clearly tipsy and oblivious to the storm brewing inside her.

"No one," Y/N replied quickly, forcing a laugh. "Just... fuck this year, right?"

Marcus chuckled and raised his glass. "I'll drink to that!"

As the countdown for the new year approached, the lights dimmed, and the DJ hyped up the crowd. Y/N's phone buzzed in her pocket, and for a split second, she thought it might be Taehyung. But she remembered she had blocked him. Her heart twisted, both angry and sad at the same time. Why did she even care? He clearly didn't, or he would've left her a message, tried to explain. But instead, he had left her with nothing—just like Jimin had.

The crowd erupted into cheers as the clock struck midnight. Y/N hugged her brothers and shouted "Happy New Year" along with everyone else, but her mind was elsewhere. She had given Taehyung her body, her trust, and he had left her feeling used. It wasn't fair. He didn't get to play the victim when he was the one who had initiated everything.

As she watched the fireworks light up the night sky from the club's rooftop, Y/N resolved to leave him behind, too. If Taehyung could ghost her like she meant nothing, then she would move on. No more waiting, no more wondering. It was time to start fresh, without him.

But deep down, in a part of her heart she tried to ignore, the hurt lingered. He wasn't just anyone. He was Taehyung—her best friend, the one person she had always counted on. And now, that relationship felt irreparably broken.