As the dawn breaks, you find yourself rushing to prepare for the day ahead, the morning's haste a familiar routine. Amid the scramble, you suddenly remember the sandwich BoHyun had thoughtfully prepared for you the night before. Retrieving it from the fridge, a smile crosses your lips, a brief moment of warmth amid your hurry. His small gesture lingers in your mind, a reminder of the kindness that exists in unexpected places.
With the sandwich in hand, you make your way to the university, choosing to walk in hopes of clearing your head. The journey, however, turns into a reflective passage through your recent past, especially thoughts of Jungkook. Four months have passed, yet moving on from him proves more challenging than you anticipated. His voice has started to fade, and his face blurs in your memory, yet he remains an ever-present thought. The process of moving on is sped with moments of missing him deeply, each cold breeze bringing his image to the forefront of your thoughts.
You've been portraying yourself as a new person, someone unburdened by the past, but it is nothing but a personality you are faking to make yourself feel better. Deep down, you're aware of the struggle within, the difficulty of truly letting go. You recognize that a single moment of weakness could unravel the progress you've made, pulling you back into the depths of what you've been trying to escape.
Amid these reflections, you contemplate the words exchanged during your last encounter, words spoken out of a defense mechanism triggered by a disruptive state of mind. Part of you wishes to go back, to explain that your harsh words were not meant, that they were a shield against the vulnerability you felt. You had hoped, perhaps naively, that he would shut your accusations with declarations of his love, proving your fears unfounded. But reality proved otherwise; his silence on the matter felt like confirmation of your worst fear: that his love was all in your head.
The hasty pace of college life keeps you engaged throughout the day, a mix of academics and laughter with friends filling the hours. However, as the day transitions towards your work schedule, a sudden realization hits you â you're running late for your shift at the café. The urgency propels you into a hurried journey through the city, navigating the streets and changing buses with a single-minded focus on reaching your destination on time.
Upon arrival at the café, you waste no time changing into your uniform and taking your place at the cashier, ready to dive into the afternoon's responsibilities. The day at work passes swiftly, the constant flow of customers and tasks making the hours fly by. Before you know it, it's around 1:30 pm, the time scheduled for the interview that had completely slipped your mind amidst the day's activities.
Engrossed in inventory work due to the slow hours in business, you're brought back to the present by Nami's voice. "Y/N," she calls out, peeking in from the door with a reminder that jolts you into action. "The girl is here for the interview."
"Interview?" "Shit," you mutter under your breath, a mix of frustration and panic washing over you as you realize you hadn't even glanced at the resume BoHyun had entrusted to you.
"Please let her know, I'll be out in two," you tell Nami, scrambling to retrieve the resume from your bag.
As you quickly skim through the resume, the name "Park Miyeon" catches your eye. Despite the lack of extensive experience, her academic qualifications stand out, leaving you puzzled about her application for a position that seems below her qualifications.
Shaking off your lingering questions, you step into the café area, where you find the applicant waiting at a table, her identity partially obscured by a black mask. There's something vaguely familiar about her, though you can't quite place it. Pushing aside your curiosity for the moment, you prepare yourself for the interview, determined to assess her suitability for the job with an open mind.
As you observe Park Miyeon from a distance, her impatience is palpable. The rhythmic tapping of her feet against the café floor and her gaze fixed on the table suggest a bundle of nerves, a common sight before interviews. You take a moment to compose yourself, smoothing down your hair to appear as professional as possible before approaching her.
"Hi, my name is Y/N. Nice to meet you," you greet her, extending your hand in a friendly gesture, aiming to make her feel at ease. She looks up, a slight delay in her reaction, before standing to acknowledge you. The moment she sees you, her eyes widen in recognition, her initial nervousness transforming into a more pronounced restlessness.
"Y/N?" Her voice trembles as she speaks your name, her hand moving to lower her mask, revealing her face fully. The recognition hits you like a wave â it's Miyeon, the same Miyeon you met at the dinner gala, a connection to Taehyung's world you thought you had left behind. Memories from that night flood back with startling clarity: the encounter in the restroom, the discovery of the bruise that hinted at the abuse she faced, and her desperate plea for secrecy, especially from Taehyung.
The sudden realization that the applicant for the job at your café is connected to your past, to a world you've been trying to distance yourself from, leaves you momentarily frozen. Her presence here, now, feels like the past reaching out, blurring the lines you've drawn to safeguard your new life.
The tension in the air thickens as you confront the reality of Miyeon's situation, mirrored in the fading bruises that mark her faceâa stark, visual testament to her continued suffering. The haunted look in your eyes reflects a deep concern and an understanding of the gravity of her circumstances.
"What are you doing here, Miyeon-ssi?" Your voice is a mix of shock and worry, each word heavy with the implication of her presence in your life once again.
"Y/N, I..." Miyeon's response is hesitant, her voice faltering as she grapples with the shock of the reunion and the weight of her own story. "I escaped," she finally confesses, tears welling up in her eyes as she reveals the desperation that drove her to flee. "I couldn't take it anymore, so I ran away. I just want to start a new life," she adds, her voice breaking with the strain of her emotions.
Her words resonate with you, a painful echo of your own desires to break free from the shadows of a past that once threatened to consume you. The parallel paths of your journeys, both seeking refuge and a fresh start away from the turmoil that once defined your lives, forge an unexpected connection between you.
"Does your husband know you are here?" The question is borne out of concern, a need to assess the immediacy of the danger she might still be in.
"No. I don't think he is in Seoul yet, but he is definitely trying to find me," Miyeon reveals, her voice laced with fear and defiance. "Me running away is a dent to his perfect life that he pretends to live and portray to the world." Her admission sheds light on the facade of her husband's life, a veneer of perfection that conceals the dark reality of abuse and control.
"Come with me. We can't talk about this out here," you say, urgency coloring your voice as you gently grasp Miyeon's hand, guiding her towards the back of the café for privacy. As you move, you catch Nami's concerned gaze, her eyes flickering to the faint bruises on Miyeon's face, silently questioning if everything is alright. You offer her a nod, an attempt to reassure her that you've got the situation under control, even though her expression remains unconvinced. Despite her worries, Nami steps back, trusting your judgment as you lead Miyeon away from the curious eyes of the café.
Once secluded, you waste no time, "How did you run away?" The question spills out, followed quickly by another, "Does Taehyung-ssi know about this?" Your voice is a mixture of concern and a need for answers, bombarding her with questions to grasp the full extent of her situation.Miyeon's response comes in a hurried, hushed tone, "No, no one knows about it. He had a very important meeting today, so he's been away at a resort on the outskirts of Busan for a couple of days." She pauses, taking a breath before continuing, "I ran away just a week ago and have been living in a hotel since. My savings are nearly gone, so I needed a job fast, somewhere I could stay under the radar."
Her story unfolds a tale of desperation and fleeting hope, mirroring the struggle you once faced. "I knew I could do it because you did," she adds, a hint of admiration in her voice. "Hyeyeon told me everything about how you managed to escape your past. It was very brave of you." Her words, filled with names and revelations, hit you with a weight you hadn't expected, bridging the gap between your past and present with a stark reminder of the world you both are trying to leave behind.
The emotional weight of Miyeon's situation, her vulnerability and bravery laid bare, stirs something deep within you, compelling you to reach out and envelop her in a tight hug. Her response is immediate, a surrender to the moment, as if your embrace is a lifeline amidst the storm she's been weathering alone. The physical connection seems to bridge the gap of understanding between you, a silent acknowledgment of the fear and isolation she's endured.
"I am so glad that I stumbled into you. God is helping me," she sobs into your shoulder, her words muffled but heavy with relief and a hint of newfound hope. It's a poignant moment, a testament to the unexpected paths that lead us to each other in times of need.
As you gently lean back from the hug, maintaining a comforting hand on her shoulder, you reassure her, "Everything is going to be fine." Yet, the concern for her safety and well-being prompts you to probe further. "Are you sure you don't want anyone to know about this? What about your parents?" The question is delicate, a tentative step into the personal history she's been running from.
Her answer comes softly, laden with a lifetime of resigned acceptance. "What parents? I am an orphan, just like half of the people you know, including Taehyung...and your Jungkook." The revelation strikes a chord, the casual yet profound inclusion of Jungkook's name alongside the shared reality of their orphan status reshaping your understanding of her, of them, and of the intertwined fates that have brought you together in this moment.
The mention of Jungkook, in particular, sends a ripple through you, a mixture of surprise, empathy, and a deepening sense of connection to the lives that have touched yours. Miyeon's situation, her past, and her unexpected link to the people you've known and cared about, cast a new light on the struggles and hidden battles that lie behind the faces you see every day.
The revelation leaves you momentarily stunned, struggling to wrap your mind around the new information. "What?" escapes your lips, a reflection of your disbelief. The pieces of a puzzle you hadn't even realized were missing begin to fall into place, albeit painfully.
"I thought only Jungkook's mother had..." you trail off, the sentence dissolving into the air, a mix of confusion and realization settling in. Miyeon's partial confirmation of your unspoken thoughts feels like a jolt, compelling you to face a reality you hadn't fully considered.
"His mother, her father, and his older sister...all were..." she attempts to continue, the weight of what she was about to say pressing down on her. The sentence remains incomplete, choked by the surge of emotions that threaten to overwhelm her.
"Killed?" The word hangs between you as you finish her words, a heavy, sorrowful acknowledgment of the tragedies that have shadowed their lives. Tears begin to trace your cheeks, the gravity of the situation, the depth of the loss they've experienced, hitting you all at once. It's a stark contrast to the life you were just living moments ago, a reminder of the complex web of pain and vengeance that lies just beneath the surface of the world you've been trying to escape.
"All seven have different enemies but were united by one purpose, revenge," Miyeon's voice cuts through your thoughts, adding layers to the narrative you had only glimpsed at the edges. The notion that each of them, including Jungkook, has been driven by a shared quest for vengeance for the irreplaceable losses they've suffered paints a starkly different picture of the life you thought you understood.
"All of them have lost something or someone precious to them. Did you think they were born into that world?" she continues, challenging any preconceived notions you might have held. The revelation that their involvement in a darker world was not by choice but a consequence of the losses they've endured forces you to reevaluate your understanding of their actions and motivations.
The conversation with Miyeon, laden with truths and painful admissions, suddenly bridges the gap between your past and present, forcing you to confront the complexities of the lives intertwined with yours. It's a pivotal moment, one that reshapes your perspective on the world you left behind and the people who remain caught within it, driven by the deep-seated need for retribution for the injustices they've faced.
"I knew none of that," you admit softly, a sense of guilt washing over you. The time you spent among them, casting judgment on their actions, now seems naive in the face of such profound revelations. "All that time I spent in between them judging them for what they do, I never thought there could be a reason like this behind it." The words are heavy with regret, a reflection of a newfound understanding that challenges your previous stance.
The urge to reach out to Jungkook, to bridge the gap of misunderstanding and hurt with an apology, rises within you. "I should call him," you muse aloud, contemplating reconnecting and making amends. Yet, this impulse feels like the very moment of weakness you feared, a potential step back into a world you had resolved to leave behind.
Miyeon's response is immediate and cautionary. "No, don't. It's all in the past for him. Leave him be. He has moved on." Her words are firm, a gentle nudge to dissuade you from reopening old wounds. "I don't know what happened between you two, but he has changed since then. He's starting to drift apart a lot from people and places and actually getting his life together. I heard he is focusing more on growing their businesses." Her insights into Jungkook's current state paint a picture of a man on a path of self-improvement and detachment from his past turmoil.
Hearing about Jungkook's efforts to rebuild and refocus his life brings an unexpected sense of relief. The knowledge that he is becoming a better man, perhaps even finding peace and purpose beyond the shadows that once defined him, offers a bittersweet solace. It reinforces the idea that your separation, though painful, might have been a necessary step for both of you to find your own ways forward.
This conversation, while stirring a mix of emotions, ultimately leads you to a place of acceptance. The revelation of the deeper motives driving the lives of those you once judged, coupled with the realization of Jungkook's progress, allows you to let go of the past with a greater understanding and empathy. It's a moment of closure, a step towards embracing your new life with the knowledge that moving on was, indeed, for the best.
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** Note: You don't have to imagine Miyeon as Gidle Miyeon but idk why I like her for this role. The first time I wrote Miyeon's character, I named it Miyeon just because it popped in my head and felt perfect for her character. I never thought of her as Miyeon from Gidle until someone commented saying it should have been Jennie paired with Taehyung instead of Miyeon (like wtf) anyway, that's when I thought oh hey people could imagine her as Miyeon from gidle and as I started imagining her for the character, idk she fit it in so perfectly. So it's totally optional. **