𝙱𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙳 𝙸𝙽 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴

𓆩♡𓆪; 23

Airene's heart ached, but the pain was different now—sharper, colder. She had never imagined things would turn out this way. The man she had trusted, the man who had stood beside her all this time, had been living a lie.

"You should leave," she said, her voice firm, yet laced with heartbreak.

Taehyung's eyes widened in panic. He fell to his knees before her, his hands trembling as he reached for her. "Airene, please... I love you. I only did this because I love you!" His voice cracked, desperation spilling from every word.

But she stepped back, her tears refusing to stop. "You played with my heart, Tae," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "You hurt me. All I ever wanted was to find my Mochi, the love I waited for... and you lied to me, made me believe in something that was never real."

She turned away, her chest tightening as she felt his presence still behind her.

"Airene, please!" He called her name over and over, his voice raw, filled with regret. But she didn't stop. She just kept walking.

And then, without looking back, she said the words that shattered whatever hope he had left.

"I never want to see you again. Not even by accident."

Taehyung froze, his entire world crashing down around him. He could do nothing but watch as she disappeared from his sight.

Her parents, watching him collapse onto the floor, couldn't bear to see him in such a broken state. With heavy hearts, they stepped forward and picked him up.

But nothing they did could lift the weight of the pain he felt inside.

Airene's father, though heartbroken by the chaos, knew that Taehyung was a good man. But it was too late. He let out a deep sigh and placed a hand on Taehyung's shoulder.

"This isn't right, son. You need to let her go," he said gently.

Taehyung clenched his fists, his entire body shaking with regret. He knew how stubborn Airene was—once she made up her mind, there was no turning back. With a heavy heart, he lowered his head and bowed slightly.

"I'm sorry for everything," he said, voice laced with sorrow. "For the lies, for the pain. I never wanted things to end like this."

Her parents nodded, seeing the sincerity in his eyes, but they knew there was no fixing this.

With one last glance up at her window, Taehyung swallowed back his tears. His heart burned, tearing apart from the inside, but he accepted his fate. He had lied about something he never should have—love. And now, this was his punishment.

Without another word, he turned around and walked away, leaving behind the house that once held his deepest hopes and dreams.

LATER...

Hours passed, and once Airene had calmed down enough to speak, she sat with her parents and told them everything.

She explained who her Mochi truly was, what had happened to him, and why he couldn't come back to her all those years ago. Every painful detail, every lost moment—they listened, their hearts aching for her.

When she finished, her parents exchanged a glance before pulling her into a warm embrace.

"You did the right thing, sweetheart," her mother whispered, stroking her hair. "If Jimin is the one who has always held your heart, then you should be with him."

Her father sighed but nodded in agreement. "Go back to him. Don't let anything or anyone stand in the way this time."

For the first time in a long time, Airene felt understood. She had made her choice. And this time, she wouldn't look back.