Never In My Dreams

38- Don't Leave Me

"Everyone has their own story. Those who listen to that story- no matter its length, are the ones who care about you the most."
                                                       -anonymous

[Taehyung's POV]

I walked around, looking at my surroundings. I was in my grandma's backyard, which made me question my sanity. I didn't remember coming here recently, but I remember coming here all the time as a kid. I remember all the good times I had while I played back here with all my toys lined across the grass. I remember my grandma calling me inside to eat lunch. I also remember them both tending to their shared garden. This place brought me only happy memories.

Just as I got closer to the flowerbed, I noticed a girl in a school uniform- which was all too familiar to me. Her long black hair was up in a ponytail and her back was facing me.

"Jisoo?" I said with hesitation. I stopped my tracks and watched the girl turn around. She had a smile on her face, which quickly vanished when she seen me.

"Don't you like this flower?" she asked, picking a flower from the garden. It was a beautiful rose that was pure red and the stem and thorns were a beautiful emerald green. Our grandparents took much care and pride into their garden. "You know, life is like a flower. It's beautiful but sad."

I continued to look at the flower while she continued to speak. "When flowers start blooming, they become more beautiful. Just when we are born, we take in our first breath of air. Birth is beautiful, as it should be..." her voice drifted off as she looked into my eyes, "...but it can become sad. There's heartache and tears. There's hard decisions that we have to make. Like a flower, if we don't take care of ourselves- we can wither."

Tears flooded my eyes and anger came over me as I heard her words. She was talking to me about life, but I didn't wish to hear it anymore. "Why didn't you tell me you were having a hard time? Why did you face the burden alone?" I yelled. The tears were streaming down my face uncontrollably, but I didn't care. "Why did you leave me?" I mumbled. I fell to the ground and pulled my knees to my chest.

Jisoo sat down beside me and grabbed my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I never left you. I had always been there watching from afar. But listen when I say nothing is easy about life." She sighed and looked off into the distance. "Be stronger than me. Remember that although life is hard now, just remind yourself that you have people who love you. The people that stick with you through thick and thin are the people you should keep around. Yes, flowers can wither, but they can heal, just like broken hearts can."

I looked into her eyes, tears still flowing. "I-I'm sorry..." I could hear my voice waver and I tried to stop myself from crying once again. She gave me a small smile and held my hand tighter. "You did nothing wrong. It's not your fault. I'm sorry for making you feel alone. That was my sadness, yet I made you feel that way. But promise me something else..."

"Yes?"

"Promise that you'll do what makes you happy. There's a lot of pain behind your eyes. Don't be scared of feeling weak. Don't try to hide your sadness. Instead, let those who love take care of you. Remember this: when you find someone special. Someone that understands you and someone that genuinely loves you for who you are and not about what you have to offer; those are the people you should let inside your heart, because those people will help heal you."

A single tear fell down my eye. I hugged her tightly, never wanting this moment to end. A small smile tugged on her lips and I felt her arms hug me back.

"Promise me, Taehyung!" she said, sternly.

"Taehyung..."

"Taehyung..."