Chapter One: Letters and Lies

After crushing the plastic water bottle in her hand, Miya inhaled and looked forward. The sun was setting in the distance leaving a soft orange glow on her skin and the buildings around her. While the day seemed to be just ending for all the students, businessmen and women walking home, Miya still had a couple more hours left before she could return to her apartment after her dinner shift at her University’s local restaurant. Focusing on the trash can across from her, Miya aimed the plastic in her hand and propelled it forward - only to have it bounce off and land on the sidewalk a couple feet away. Sighing, the tired waitress scurried towards the trash on the floor before any incoming customers could see what had just happened. She quickly checked the time on her phone and noticed a few new texts on her phone from her friend, but stopped when she heard her manager calling her name and stuffed her cell phone back into her apron pocket.

Miya Lee spent most of her summer nights working as a waitress at a bar-slash-restaurant named Bada, and her mornings and afternoons helping out at a family friend’s cafe. Life was constantly buzzing around her, but Miya often kept herself busy with her jobs and close knit friends. After entering college, Miya had finally grown accustomed to the daily routine of school, work, and socializing. Although school and work took a larger chunk of her time, Miya always found time to be with those she cared about and was always constantly doing something. Restless or not, the soon to be twenty one year old was looking for something else to consume her time - or in all honestly, someone.

Like most girls who went through phases of boy-band obsessions, high interest in fashion, and endeavors in music in high school, Miya longed to be something special and to make something out of herself. This lead to a plethora of experiences under Miya’s belt by the end of her second year in college: she had gained plenty from delving into the rave and dance community, learning the ins and outs of local libraries and hole-in-the-wall cafes, and befriending people from different walks of life. However, after two years of experimenting and exploring in college, Miya settled for what most others also did - comfort and reliability, which was found in her friends, her family, and the places she was employed.

Most people would describe Miya to be someone average, not outstanding but not boring, and amicable. The only descriptor that set her apart from the normal college crowd was her unfathomably persistent crush on one Jeon Jungkook. Loyal was an adjective often used in conjunction with her infatuation with Jungkook in the beginning, but after 2 years of more or less unwavering affection, her friends - Jungkook included - began to associate Miya with words such as deluded, foolish, and childish.

Miya’s revelation about her feelings came right before she entered college with Jungkook, a long time member of her group of friends. After confiding her problems with money and self-confidence to the her friends one night after her high school graduation, everyone on the camping trip had shown nothing but encouragement and support - but it was Jungkook who she had noticed showing extra care in making sure she felt reassured and loved. Added on top of her anxiety about making new friends in college, she latched onto the mutual feeling of comfort and convinced herself she was in love.

It wasn’t long before Miya felt that she couldn’t keep her emotions in anymore and drunkenly confessed to Jungkook one night early in her first semester at college.

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The house was worn with marks of water damage from partying, peeling paint from an overused bathroom, and had an underlying smell of alcohol even with the constant spraying of febreeze. Music pounded the walls and floors while shots were being taken one after another, and socializing took over the young and intoxicated students. In one of the rooms sat Jungkook, Miya and their newly made friends - all catching a breather after escaping the hordes of people and sweat that clogged the house. Jungkook and Miya were used to attending parties together weekend after weekend, and had gathered members into their group during their first week: Jimin and Taehyung were roommates and resided in the same building as Jungkook, and Mari shared a class with Miya.

All five were squished together on a couch, passing along a water bottle that Miya wasn’t sure contained either water or soju. Miya was just about done with the party, tired from being urged on by Mari all night to get closer to Jungkook and also regretting that she confided in Mari the past weekend. After mindlessly taking a swig from the plastic bottle, Miya was almost certain that it didn’t contain any water and had to focus on not throwing up, leaning on Jungkook in the process.

“Are you alright, Miya? Do you want me to walk you home now?” Jungkook asked, concerned.

With a nod and slight grunt, Miya began to stand up and wavered before being straightened by Jungkook who held her by her waist and shoulder.

“Looks like I’m heading back with Miya now - does anyone else want to walk with us?” Jungkook aimed to the rest of the flushed teenagers. Jimin looked up and started to speak when Mari suddenly hugged him from the side and whined “Jimin, I wanna dance! Taehyung, come with us for one more round!” Mari drawled out the last words of her sentences, trying to appear endearing and proceeded to drag Jimin and Taehyung off the couches in the direction of the dance floor.

Jungkook chuckled and said “I guess not, then. I’ll see you guys back home - make sure to call one of us if something happens!” Mari flashed a grin and responded, “Will do, will do! Now let’s get a move on, someone’s playing my song!” Shooting Miya a look and wiggling her eyebrows as much as a buzzed girl could while moving, Mari yelled “Walk safe! Let me know when you guys get back!” behind her as she flounced away with Jimin and Taehyung in tow.

The walk back to Miya’s room was one Jungkook and Miya took frequently and they continued in a comfortable silence. Occupied with thoughts of Jungkook and Mari’s advice to confess, Miya was taken by surpris