Always, It's You

Chapter 49

I named this picture " One day they'll meet under the stars."

"Ash..."

Ashley's voice was painful. "You knew all along!"

Taehyung nodded in approval.

"Damn it, Tae," she mumbled, "you don't have the right."

"I wanted you to face yourself, Ash. How long would you run away from it?" Taehyung tried to sound composed.

"Or what?" Ashley snapped. "You think life runs like fairy tales you always dreamt about? It always obeys the stupid things you say like " Love yourself, face yourself " campaigns?"

"Ash..."
Taehyung started but was cut out by Ashley's voice,

"What did you think before bringing me here? That I will forget everything and see you with the same look you give me? Is that easy?"

"I am not asking you for anything, Ash," Taehyung sounded calm.

"No, you are dreaming the impossible, Tae," Ashley's voice was getting colder even, "let me tell you, these fairy tales are all bullshits. There are no happy endings, no knights in shining armor. The world is full of those poison ivys and hateful villains. Don't dare to try and make me dream again. These are just illusions and nightmares only."

"I am here, Ash."

"No, you are not here. You too will go away. There are lots of pretty girls waiting for you. Name, fame, everything is there for you. I am nobody."

" You are enough, Ash."

He said the same words!
Ashley shot a glare of pain at him,
"How dare you Tae! How could you do this to me? What do you want from it?"

"I want you, Ash. I want you to forgive yourself."

"I don't want you. Got that?" Ashley was more hurt than cold, she whispered again,b"I don't have feelings for you. You wanted an answer. Here it is. Now go back to your world. Just go away."

Ashley looked away through her window clenching her fists together. Trying to calm herself down before she cries.

"Is that so?" Taehyung's voice was low, full of pain.

Ashley didn't answer him. She couldn't.

An awkward silence filled the car. Two hurt persons were there, but no one took the initiative to soothe each other. The silence seemed like a visible curtain between them. And hurtful, a painful sheet of increasing distance between two persons seeming so close was lingering in the air.

The road was the same old with the dead leaves all over. The same silence, yet more distant.
It was another part of Ashley which he never saw before.

Taehyung stopped the car in front of Ashley's cottage an hour later when it was already dark.
Ashley grabbed her jacket and backpack with the scrapbook and went in without looking back, without saying a word even.

Taehyung lowered his head on the steering wheel for a few moments. He was hurt. Did she mean what she said? Did she really want him to go?

He wanted to run away from here. As far as he could. Did she hate him now?

The phone was ringing. It was Jin. He received it.

"Tae...how did it go?" Jin's excited voice came through.

Taehyung felt a lump forming up in his throat. He tried to swallow it again and again.

"Tae?" Jin's voice was now full of concern.