Destiny's love

Part-61

Hayoung's POV

The hallway outside her apartment was quiet, save for the soft click of her heels against the floor. In one hand, she held a small travel bag packed with fresh clothes and essentials. It wasn't heavy, but her heart was.

As she walked, her vision blurred again—not from dizziness this time, but from the tears threatening to spill. She quickly blinked them away, holding her head high, but inside her chest, the ache grew sharper.

Nayoung... Jungkook... Taehyung...

She finally understood. The reason they had stayed so calm, so gentle with her. The reason they had avoided her questions and acted like nothing had happened. It wasn't because they didn't care. It was because they cared too much.

They hadn't told her about those filthy marks because they didn't want her heart to break all over again. They were protecting her from seeing the worst of it, shielding her with their silence, even if it meant keeping a painful truth hidden.

More tears slipped down her cheeks as she tightened her grip on her bag. "They didn't want me to feel hurt," she whispered to herself, voice trembling.

Jungkook's face flashed in her mind—the way he had covered her so carefully, the gentleness in his touch when he applied the medicine, the way he had removed all the mirrors from his house. At that moment, she realized: it wasn't an accident. He had done it for her.

So that she wouldn't see.
So that she wouldn't blame herself.
So that she could breathe without breaking.

Her sobs returned, softer this time but just as heavy. She pressed her hand over her mouth, trying to muffle the sound, but her tears streamed freely.

How much do they love me? How far will they go just to keep me safe, to keep me from pain?

She hated herself for not trusting them before, for doubting Nayoung's instincts, for brushing off Jungkook's worries, for making Taehyung's silence heavy. Yet at the same time, her heart overflowed with gratitude. Their love wrapped around her like a shield she didn't deserve.

She wiped her tears with the sleeve of her shirt and forced a small, brave smile. I can't let them see me cry again. I'll smile for them. I'll act normal. I'll show them that their love worked—that I'm okay.

With that resolve, she straightened her shoulders, holding the bag tighter as she walked toward Jungkook's apartment.

Nayoung, Taehyung, and Jungkook's POV

The warm scent of food filled Jungkook's apartment. Nayoung and Taehyung were bustling around the kitchen, plating dishes and tasting flavors, while Jungkook sat at the table, restless.

He kept glancing at the clock, his jaw tightening. "It's been too long," he muttered under his breath, his fingers drumming against the wooden table. "Why is she taking so long? Her house isn't that far."

Taehyung looked up from helping Nayoung chop vegetables, his expression calm but his eyes uneasy. "Maybe she's just... packing extra things. You know Hayoung. She always takes her time."

But Nayoung, who knew Hayoung better than anyone, set down the ladle with a soft sigh. "No... something feels off. She's never this late when she says she'll be back quickly."

That was enough to make Jungkook push back his chair and stand abruptly. His face was set with determination, worry burning in his eyes. "I'll go get her. She shouldn't be alone right now."

But just as he reached for his jacket, the sound of the doorbell rang.

All three of them froze, then hurried to the door. Jungkook opened it with a rush, and there she was—Hayoung, standing in the doorway with her bag, a bright smile painted carefully on her lips.