When Love Forgets

Chapter 11

               

                 Taehyung's POV

It had been over two weeks. Two weeks since that conversation with Mina. Two weeks since I watched her break in front of me, spilling out the truth that had sliced through me like a knife. And now, the silence was unbearable.

Mina barely crossed my path. In fact, it was as if we were living in two different worlds, not just two different rooms in the same house. The once lively home had become eerily quiet, empty. The absence of her voice, her presence, weighed on me more than I could have ever anticipated.

Isn't this what I wanted?

That’s what I kept asking myself. I had been the one to push her away, to demand distance. She had complied, fulfilling my every word with cold precision. She no longer greeted me in the mornings with her soft voice, or left meals prepared for me on the table. The smell of her cooking no longer lingered in the air, and the house felt barren without the warmth she had once infused into it.

Yet, I wasn’t happy. Not at all.

The quiet gnawed at me. Her absence was louder than her presence ever had been, and I found myself wondering, Why does it bother me so much? I had Sora, after all. Our relationship was back to normal. Sora was thrilled when I told her I had handed Mina the divorce papers. She had smiled that perfect smile, pulled me close, and praised me for finally taking a step toward our future.

But even with Sora back in my life, something felt off. A restlessness brewed inside me, one I couldn’t quite shake. The guilt clung to me like a shadow, lurking in every corner of my mind.

I had given Sora what she wanted—so why was I still haunted by the look in Mina’s eyes? Why did I feel like I had ripped something precious apart? I should feel relieved, but instead, every time I thought about that night, an ache spread in my chest.

Even Sora noticed that I was different. I couldn’t explain it… It wasn’t supposed to feel like this. I was supposed to feel free, right? So why did everything feel heavier?

The house was empty without Mina’s small acts of kindness, her smile, her warmth. And though I wouldn’t dare admit it out loud, I missed her.

I wanted this distance, didn’t I? So why do I feel like something is missing?
 

One night, as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, I drifted into an uneasy sleep.

A warm breeze, the sound of water flowing nearby, and laughter—Mina’s laughter—filled my ears.

Suddenly, I was back in Daegu.

We were sitting under a giant cherry blossom tree. The petals danced in the air, landing gently on Mina’s hair. She looked up at me, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight, and laughed at something I said, though I couldn’t remember what. All I could focus on was the sound of her laughter. It was infectious, pulling a smile from me.

“You’re always teasing me,” she said, playfully shoving my arm.

“I can’t help it, you’re too easy to tease,” I replied with a grin.

She pouted, crossing her arms in mock annoyance, but the smile on her lips gave her away.

“Don’t act all tough now,” I chuckled, “You know you love it.”

Mina rolled her eyes but leaned in closer, resting her head on my shoulder. The soft breeze carried the sweet scent of blossoms, and the world felt perfect in that moment.

“You know, Tae,” she said, her voice softer now, “I don’t ever want this to end.”

I looked down at her, seeing the sincerity in her eyes, and my heart tightened.