Etude of Memories

Chapter 17

Seoul, Present Day

"Do you believe that Kim Taehyung who works for SM is the same Kim Taehyung from your past?" Jungkook looked at Tiffany.

That girl seemed to be reminiscing. "I--I don't know. I am so confused why Taehyung had to fake his death if he had lived all these years....."

And he wasn't as warm as he had used to be.... Tiffany closed her eyes. She had never thought in a million years that her Kim Taehyung would coldly look into her eyes and pushed her away. Her Kim Taehyung would never do that. Her Kim Taehyung would always come to her with open arms and with a very bright smile. Her Kim Taehyung would never let her cry.
Yet, everything she saw in this Kim Taehyung was everything she had seen in her Kim Taehyung.

"Then you must ask him yourself." Jungkook said.

"I have. I've asked him twice if he's my--if he is Kim Taehyung I knew ten years ago," Tiffany choked up, "but he gave me ambigous answer...."

The way Tiffany talked about her Kim Taehyung ached Jungkook's heart. His girlfriend had never talked about him the way she did about Kim Taehyung.

"Maybe you should ask your Kim Taehyung's family in Daegu. Only they who can tell you the truth."

Tiffany shook her head, "it's impossible." Suddenly she looked really sad. "Taehyung's mother passed away a year after her son's death. She was robbed on her way home and got stabbed by the robber."

"That's so tragic." Jungkook started to think that the destiny that Kim family had was really really cruel. "Doesn't he have any other family? A relative?"

Tiffany shook her head. "There's no other Kim family member. They're gone. Unless...."

"Unless this Kim Taehyung is the same Kim Taehyung as you used to know."

Tiffany nodded.

Both of them sat on the floor without knowing what else to say. Jungkook hated to see Tiffany like this. Why must there be Kim Taehyung? Why must he come to their lives?

"Then you should ask your highschool friends." Jungkook  stared at the woman he cared for more than anything in this world. "You said Taehyung died when you were in California..., but your highschool friends must know how the accident that took his life happened.... If he really died in that accident."

Tiffany looked at her boyfriend's face. She was reluctant. The reason why she avoided her school friends was because they would always remind her of Kim Taehyung and it was really painful. Was there any of her friends who'd willing to give her the answer she was looking for?

Jungkook had never felt this hurt before. He tried to be supportive, but what did you expect your heart to feel if your girlfriend kept thinking about someone else? Someone who meant so much for her a long time ago?

"Fany ah," Jungkook said, trying to surpress all his feelings inside, "if you are still curious about Kim Taehyung, it could only mean that you still love him." Jungkook's throat felt really dry. "Nothing will compare to the memories of a dead lover. I know that very well." He tried to swallow his jealousy.

Tiffany understood how painful it must be for Jungkook to be dragged in this situation. How would she rescue that sweet guy from these pains if she couldn't even help herself?

"If you really love me, you need to bury the memory of your deceased ex boyfriend. And if," Jungkook gulped, "if it turns out that he's still alive.... You have to choose which one to bury: your old memory with him or your present story with me."

Tiffany hugged her knees. She couldn't even see Jungkook's eyes. She knew she had given him a deep scar. A scar he didn't deserve.

"But whatever you will choose, it won't instantly make me stop loving you."