Forgotten Love (Kim Taehyung ff)

7.Slipping Away

Chapter 7: Slipping Away
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Harin’s POV

The days felt heavier now, like there was an invisible weight pressing down on our lives, something neither of us could shake. Taehyung’s condition was worsening, faster than I’d hoped or expected. It was like watching him drift further away every day, slipping through my fingers despite everything I did to hold onto him.

At first, it was the small things, like forgetting what day it was or leaving his keys in odd places. But now, it was becoming more serious—forgetting the layout of our own apartment, blanking on the names of our friends. There were days when he’d walk into the kitchen, stop, and stare at the cupboards, as if he were in someone else’s home. I’d see his face scrunch up in confusion, and I’d rush over, gently guiding him back to familiarity.

Some days, though, even I couldn’t guide him back.

One morning, as we were sitting at the breakfast table, I noticed him staring at me with a slightly puzzled expression. I smiled, thinking he was just distracted, but the look didn’t go away. After a few moments, he tilted his head.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice gentle, though my heart was already racing.

He blinked, as if trying to focus on something that wasn’t there. “You... you remind me of someone,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

The words hit me like a punch, but I forced myself to stay calm. “Taehyung, it’s me. It’s Harin.”

He studied my face, a flicker of recognition dawning in his eyes, and then his expression softened. “Oh... right. Harin.” He reached for my hand, his grip weak, and he gave me a small, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. Sometimes... it’s like I’m seeing you for the first time, but I don’t know why.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat, trying to blink back the tears that threatened to fall. “It’s okay,” I whispered, squeezing his hand. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Taehyung smiled, but there was a sadness behind it that matched the one in my heart. I forced a smile in return, but deep down, I could feel the cracks widening, could feel the weight of losing him piece by piece. He was still here, still physically beside me, but I was losing him all the same.

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As the days passed, I found myself trying to hold onto the little things, the details that once seemed so trivial but now felt like treasures. I tried recreating memories from our past, hoping that something—anything—might bring him back, even if only for a moment. I took him back to the rooftop where he had proposed to me, thinking that perhaps the view, the atmosphere, might stir something familiar.

But he stared out at the city below, his expression distant, as if he were searching for something he couldn’t quite grasp.

“This place feels... nice,” he murmured, looking at me with a faint smile. “Have we been here before?”

My heart twisted painfully, but I forced myself to nod, keeping my voice steady. “Yes, Tae. This is where you proposed.”

He blinked, his brow furrowing in confusion. “I did?” He looked back out over the city, his face scrunching up in concentration. “I... I don’t remember.”

I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill. I wanted to scream, to plead, to make him remember, but I knew it wasn’t his fault. And so I just nodded, holding his hand a little tighter.

“Yes, you did,” I whispered, trying to keep the tremble out of my voice. “It was one of the happiest days of my life.”

Taehyung’s gaze softened, and he looked down at our hands, gently tracing circles on my palm. “I’m sorry, Harin. I wish I could remember.”