✓BunBun Mine // taekook

Chapter 43

Y/N took out an envelope from her bag and handed it to Yeonjun. Narrowing her eyes, she looked at him and said,

“This is for you.”

“A letter?” Yeonjun asked in a tone of surprise, his gaze fixed on the envelope.

“Yes, for you!” Y/N confirmed.

“Who sent it to me?”

“Soobin.”

Yeonjun’s expression turned even more astonished as he asked, “When did he give it to you?”

“A week ago, the day before he left.”

“Did he meet you before leaving?”

“Yes, and he told me to give you this letter.” Y/N explained.

As Yeonjun carefully started opening the envelope, he asked, “You didn’t open it?”

“No, it’s addressed to you. It would have been wrong for me to read it.” Y/N responded with sincerity.

“You had every right to read it.” Yeonjun said softly.

“I may have the right, but I don’t want to. The words Soobin has written are meant for you alone.”

Yeonjun carefully unfolded the letter, held it up, and began reading.

The Letter

❝Like a puppet dancing out of fear of a fierce beast, I danced too. I carefully concealed the bitter truth of my life. Losing my first love and holding onto the second one was terrifying. I had wrapped myself in a shell of strength, but inside, I was even softer, Mr. Kim.

My first love was a carefree young man much like you. He came into my life like a whirlwind while I was preparing to enter university after passing high school. He had come to our town as a guest, staying at a friend's place near my house. Our acquaintance blossomed into love within months and soon led to marriage. Growing up without my mother and with a father too busy with his banking job to spend time with me, I was desperate for love. When I found it, I surrendered myself completely. He gave me everything one dreams of in love, making me the happiest person alive.

But happiness attracts envy. Just as I wondered why I was so blessed, misfortune struck. My father suffered a stroke and was hospitalized. During this time, my husband and I could only communicate over the phone. Then one day, his calls stopped. I couldn't reach him for months. My father's health improved, and after five long months, I decided to find him myself. I arrived at his house, only to discover that I was minutes too late—he had just been passed away.

They told me he had died of a drug overdose. It was impossible for me to believe. He was not a man who would fall into such vices. I learned later that he had been murdered—his life taken as collateral in a political game. His name was Kai Wang.

I was carrying his child, a secret even he didn’t know. I decided to stay in the city of this Seoul and build a life for myself and my son, hidden away from the eyes of his enemies. But then you entered my life, and your affection caught someone's attention—someone who wanted to use me to break you.

Jackson, the man responsible for my husband's death, began threatening me. He promised to harm my father and my son if I didn’t cooperate. For their safety, I had no choice but to push you away. At first, I found your love annoying, but later, I realized it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know the truth, and I couldn’t tell you either. Jackson’s shadow loomed over every decision I made, but even he couldn’t control my feelings for you. My heart fought against my circumstances, against the walls I had built around myself. You deserve to know this truth.

I wanted to fulfill Jackson's wishes by breaking you down and leaving this place safely, but do you know what happened instead? I fell flat on my face in life again. I thought that maybe, like my past, someone was calling out to me for love. Immersed in your love filled call, your madness, and the pain in your eyes, I lost my way for a while. I didn’t realize it was all an illusion, a lie. How could someone act so perfectly, driven by stubbornness? No, I don’t hold any grudge against you.

I am just a lost traveler who will find my way, as my past has taught me to keep walking. In trying to destroy you, following others’ words, I ended up destroying myself. You succeeded in your stubbornness, and I couldn’t bear to keep this truth inside anymore. Since we will never meet again, I got this chance to express it in a letter. If someday you learn where I am, please don’t come to see me. Don’t consider yourself guilty; the true culprit is me.

By marrying Y/N noona, you have saved me, freed me from Jackson, and allowed me to leave this toxic city. Otherwise, I was slowly dying inside, playing this game of torment with you, carrying love in my heart. I am glad you have moved beyond illusions to realize true love. I was merely a phase of stubbornness and illusion in your life, an incomplete chapter. If you ever hear of my absence, could you take care of my son for me? I am destitute from endless losses.

So many words, just to tell you the truth and ask for forgiveness. Please forgive me and take care of Y/N noona. She loves you immensely and came to me countless times begging for me to accept you, only for your happiness. My one-sided love, my loveless existence, and your phase of stubbornness—this is all it was.❞

From a selfish omega,
Soobin Wang

Even after closing the letter, Yeonjun noticed a few more words written in red ink at the end,

“Don’t play with someone's feelings again,  Mr. Yeonjun. Your fake love had burned my heart to ashes. May we never meet again until death.”

Reading the letter, a deep sigh escaped Yeonjun’s breath. The person he thought was stronger and unyielding was very fragile deep down. The last, pain-laden words shook his heart. How could he have committed such a great sin? Why didn’t he ever think about the feelings of the person he was pretending to love all these times? Why didn’t he dig deeper into Soobin’s past? Even if Soobin forgave him, Yeonjun knew he could never forgive himself.

Y/N gently touched his hand after noticing his troubled expression. With a soft smile, she asked, “Feeling remorseful?”

Yeonjun glanced at her sharply before lowering his head again. Y/N placed her hand over his and said, “This remorse is your punishment, oppa. There’s no greater punishment than this. That boy endured so much pain in his life and, by loving you, lost the last bit of happiness he had left. He wanted to leave you and walk away, but do you know what Soobin told me before he left? He said that instead of pushing away the person you love, you should stay close and make them realize their mistakes.

Maybe it was because of him that I even thought of distancing myself from you and considering marrying someone else. And perhaps it was only when I thought of belonging to someone else that you realized your love for me. But in every way, the twists of fate left him betrayed. He has burned in the smoke of love.”

_______________________

After many years, such a grand council convened under the banyan tree near the local market has been held. At the center of the council stood Jung Hoseok. Beside him stood his younger brother, Hyun. The pages of an old, unfinished story were reopened once again. Today, the final chapter of that story would be written. Taehyung arrived at the scene. With a bowed head, Hyun placed Aera and his marriage contract papers on the table in front of everyone.

-

-

-

To be continued...!!!