umbrella ¦ na jaemin

ch ; 31

.・。.・゜✭・31 .・✫・゜・。.

Bittersweet Price of Lies

The dream had been a swirling vortex of darkness, a suffocating emptiness that mirrored the dread in her chest. Whispers echoed around her, disembodied voices laced with malice.

"You don't deserve him," they hissed, their words sharp as shards of ice. "He should be with someone honest, someone who doesn't lie."

A choked sob escaped her lips as she recognized the accusing tone. It was Gayoung's voice, a chilling echo of their fight replaying in the dark recesses of her mind.

Another voice joined the chorus, its tone low and seductive. "Jaemin is better off with you, Dahee. You're meant to be together."

Dahee jolted awake, a gasp escaping her lips as she sat bolt upright in bed. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat echoing in the stillness of her room.

The sheets were tangled around her legs, damp with cold sweat. Disoriented, she blinked rapidly, trying to chase away the remnants of the nightmare that had just clawed its way into her sleep.

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the sound of her own heartbeat. The guilt that had been a dull ache for days now morphed into a suffocating weight, threatening to crush her.

Dahee fumbled for her bedside lamp, its warm glow a welcome reprieve from the oppressive darkness. The familiar sight of her room did little to ease the turmoil within her. She wrapped her arms around herself, seeking comfort in the flimsy embrace.

Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring the images on her nightstand. A picture frame caught her eye – a happy snapshot of her and Gayoung, their faces beaming with childhood innocence.

A fresh wave of guilt washed over her, the memory of their shattered bond a stark reminder of the consequences of her actions.

"What have I done?" she whispered to the empty room, her voice thick with despair. The weight of her secret felt like a leaden anchor, dragging her down into a sea of self-doubt and regret.

The night stretched before her, a daunting expanse of empty hours. Sleep, a precious escape, felt like a distant dream. In its absence, Dahee was left alone with the voices in her head, the relentless chorus of doubt and guilt.

-

The morning light filtering through her window did little to dispel the shadows clinging to Dahee. As she went through the motions of getting ready for school, the memory of the nightmare and the weight of her secret pressed heavily on her chest.

Steeling herself, she ventured downstairs, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee a familiar comfort. But the sight that greeted her in the kitchen stole her breath away.

Gayoung sat hunched over the table, picking at a plate of breakfast. Gone was the fiery anger that had fueled their fight, replaced by a hollow emptiness in her eyes.

A pang of guilt ripped through Dahee's heart, sharper than any accusation. This wasn't the reaction she'd anticipated, but it was a thousand times worse.

Their eyes met, and Dahee saw a flicker of something akin to pain cross Gayoung's face, a faint echo of the sisterly bond they once shared. But the spark quickly died, replaced by a wall of indifference. It was as if Gayoung had withdrawn into herself, leaving Dahee grappling with the ghost of their relationship.