Final Chapter

"Umma? Ummaaaaa?!" The girl wailed as she held on to the hand that is no longer warm with life. "Umma?" She called out again, this time without holding back her tears. It ran down her porcelain little face and down her chest. Some even splashed on the small teddy bear with the pink ribbon she was holding.

"Oppa?" She called out to her brother this time, looking past her shoulders and at the pink-haired guy with an equally sullen look on his face.

Lee Byunghun bit the inside of his cheeks, but the tear betrayed him as it slips down his face. He walked to the other side of the bed and knelt down. He took his now late-mother's hand and kissed it.

"Umma." He too cried.

Hana sniffed and hiccuped as she tried to contain her sobs. "Gwenchana oppa. Gwenchana." She tried to soothe her brother.

Oh how the roles have changed. It was Byunghun who was supposed to coax her little sister. Not the other way round. How can a five-year-old be so strong when she had just lost her mother?

Hana walked over to the other side of the bed, her small steps sounded weak. She leaned over her brother's back and hugged him tight. Caressing his fluffy pink hair like how their mother used to do.

"Umma's gone now Hana." Byunghun said in between sobbing. "Umma's gone." 

Byunghun stood up, and Hana automatically reach for her brother's waist. Her favorite crook to bury her face. Byunghun couldn't bare to look down at his sister. He would break down again if he did. 

He cupped his mouth with his hands, his eyes darting away from his mother's figure. 

"Umma's gone." He repeated. "Umma's gone." Like a mantra, byunghun kept repeating these two words as he began to walk out of the room. As though with a mind of it's own, his legs brought him away from the cancer centre and perhaps, away from reality.

Byunghun couldn't hear the cry of his sister or when she called out his name in desperate attempt to call him back. Byunghun didn't even realize when she started following him.

---

Soyeon huffed and panted as she tried to catch her breath. Just a block away and she will be back at the mall. She eyed the pedestrian traffic light, a few meters away from her. The green light was blinking, signaling that it was about to turn red. 

Soyeon picked up her pace, maybe if she's fast enough she might be able to make the green light.

Blink blink blink.

"Aishh." Soyeon whined as she slowed down, glaring at the timer on the traffic light as it started it's countdown. She's still a few meters away.

5

What's that pink hair crossing the road?

4

Byunghun?

3

Maybe not.

2

Hana?

"Hana!!" Soyeon ran to the zebra crossing following the crying Hana. She was just a few steps into the zebra crossing when the pedestrian traffic light turned red and the traffic light for motorists turned green.

Honnkkk.

People were honking in anger and worry as Soyeon pulled Hana back.

A biker who thought nothing of the green light sped up. His bike skided.

Thud.

They crashed.

"Unnie?" 

"Unnie?" Hana cried. She shook Soyeon to wake her up. It was all too fast. Soyeon was pulling her when the ahjussi on the bike lost control. He hit Soyeon with the rear of his bike. But there was no blood yet then. Soyeon lost balance and hit her head on the bumper of a car before falling with a gruesome thud on the side walk.

Hana cried.

Someone pulled her back, asking her if she was alright. Physically yes, but mentally? 

Poor girl.

Byunhun heard the commotion. Something's happened. But what? He saw people were running to where he came from. The were saying something but Byunghun couldn't make out the words.

Everything was in a blur.

"Unnieeee!!" A shrill, thin voice cried.

"Hana?" Byunghun turned around and everyone was huddled together on the opposite sidewalk. He saw Hana crying.

Byunghun ran, pushing past those people who were crowding around her sister. "Hana!" He picked Hana up and his eyes ran frantically up and down her body, checking if she was okay. 

"Someone, call the ambulance! Her bleeding wouldn't stop!" An ahjussi called out.

Blood?

"Soyeon."

-----

"Eomonim! What are you doing here?" J-Hope asked as he put on the buckle for his outfit. "Wait. What's wrong? Are you okay omeonim?"

Mrs Jeon shook her head, her face pale. "I need to see Jungkook. Jungkook!!" She called out.

"What's wrong eomonim?" It was Jin's turn to ask.

"Jungkook." Was the only word she managed.

Jungkook walked out of the fitting room. He was just about to change into his next outfit when he heard his mother's voice.

"What's wrong umma?" Jungkook held his mother's shaking hands.

"The in-laws called. Soyeon got into an accident."

"What?" Almost everyone asked but Jungkook. He turned as pale as his mother. 

"Was it bad?" Taehyung asked.

Mrs Jeon nodded before she tugged on her son's arm. "Come, we've got to go."

Jungkook shook his head "Aniya. This must not be true. She was just there watching our performance. I saw her!" 

" I don't know! She left her seat. They said she was trying to get to her friend's audition at a mall nearby." Mrs Jeon tried to explain. "Come on son. Let's go"

"Go Jungkook. We'll figure something out." Rap Monster added.

Jungkook could feel his eyes getting teary. He bit the inside of his cheeks and hurriedly ran out the door.

Soyeon.

----

Mrs Lee was pacing back and forth down the hospital corridor, her teeth sinking deep into her knuckles, an act she does when she's anxious.

"Yeobo, she's gonna be okay right?" She asked her husband who was sitting on one of the chairs that was arranged in the waiting area of the emergency unit.

Mr Lee wanted to say yes but his throat is too dry to produce any sound. When he got the phone call from the hospital, it scared the hell out of him. His only daughter--

"Omeonim, abeonim!" 

The door to the waiting area slid opened and Soyeon's friend walked in. Hyeseong and Tao had tears in their eyes as everyone walked towards Soyeon's parents.

"It's my fault. She was on her way to my audition--" Jongin mumbled guiltily although it really wasn't his fault. 

"No, it's no one's fault. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be." Mrs Lee rub Jongin's back. She pulled him into her embrace and swiped his hair away from his clammy forehead.

"Jeon Jungkook?" Mrs Lee heard Suho called out from behind her. Immediately she released Jongin and held Mrs Jeon's shaking hands and Jung Kook's cold ones "I came as soon as I heard. How is she?" Mrs Jeon asked.

Mrs Lee shook her head, as a way to say that she did not know the answer to that question.

Everyone there was equally puzzled as Jongin. Why is Jungkook and his mother here? But they had other things to worry about. Person to be worried about.

Swooosh.

Just then the double doors to the emergency unit open. "May I speak to the family of Lee Soyeon?" The doctor asked as he as looked around the crowded waiting area, not sure who to address.

Soyeon's father stood up and walked to the doctor. So does his wife. "We're her parents." They informed. 

"May I have a word with you two? It's a pressing matter." The doctor continued.

"I think it's best if Jungkook hear about this too." Soyeon's father said as he called out to Jung Kook who was sitting beside his mother on one of the chairs, still in a daze.

"Jungkook, come here." Mr Lee called out.

Almost simultaneously, everyone turned their heads towards Jungkook as he walked to where Soyeon's parents and the doctor was standing.

"Excuse me. He is--?" The doctor motioned towards Jungkook.

"I'm Lee Soyeon's husband."

---

"Yah! What does he mean, noona? What does he mean he is Soyeon noona's husband?" Sehun asked Hyeseong who was sitting beside him. Hyeseong shrugged and turned to her boyfriend. "Baekhyun, do you know anything about this?

Soon, the whole waiting area buzzed with curiosity. The group of students were equally astonished as to what they had just heard. A lot of 'whats' and 'hows' were thrown in the air after Jungkook and Soyeon's parents went to follow the doctor. Neither of the question were answered. Nobody knows the answer.

They were to turn to Jungkook's mother for an answer, but the woman was missing, probably waiting outside of the hospital for her husband.

Even Kim Haerin didn't know the answer to that although she seemed to know about almost everything. "Kai-ah, do you anything about this?" She asks, doubting that he does. Her question was left unanswered. Haerin turned to face Jongin who was sitting as still as a statue on his seat. He still had his outfit from the audition on. In the end he did auditioned without waiting for Soyeon, and was fortunate to have passed the audition with satisfactory appraisal from the panel.

He thought he would show her 'the ticket', an A4 sized paper that says he made it to the next round to Soyeon later. But then he got the call from Soyeon's parents soon afterwards. Mrs Lee was crying, he words were muffled by her tears. Jongin was worried if anything had happened to Soyeon that he almost shouted at Mrs Lee to tell him what happened.

What he heard wasn't what he had expected.

Jongin gripped the sides of his pants hard, till his knuckles turned white. There were no trace of anger on his face but pain and only pain. "Are- are they married?" He choked the words out, hardly a whisper, before a painful gush of air through his teeth.

It torn Haerin into pieces to see Jongin that way. She knew the depth of his feelings towards Soyeon. To find out the love of your life is married? She could only imagine that the betrayal Jongin felt must be deeper than the rest of her friends.

For he first time, Haerin didn't know what to do. She could not even extend her hand to comfort Jongin. No one can.

The waiting area grew loud as the door to the emergency unit slid open and Jungkook walked out.

Tao was the first to got up from his seat as he approached Jungkook with much scary aura. Tao grabbed Jungkook by the collar of his leather vest that he had worn for his performance and shoved the boy against a wall. "What do you mean you're her husband?" He growled, causing the hairs on Jungkook's body to rise.

"Hey, becareful. You don't want to ruin an idol's face." Lay gently reminded Tao.

That caused Tao to bubbled up in anger. "I don't give a damn if he's an idol. I demand an answer!"

"I- I" Jungkook was lost for words. His mind was still processing what just happened. Too much had occurred in the past few hours and he isn't sure if his mind could bare everything.

Xiumin marched behind Chen as they both approached Tao and Jungkook. They wanted answers, explanation. Soon, everyone was surrounding Jungkook - helpless and alone.

Finally, just as everyone was busy throwing their question at Jungkook, Jongin stood up from his seat and pushed his way toward Jung kook, despite his lack of force in his movements.

"Is she okay? What did the doctor say?" Was all Jongin asked.

Those two sentences caught everyone off guard. They had just realize how selfish they were a few seconds ago.

"She's going to be fine. Luckily, her injuries wasn't fatal. She fractured a few bones, and after a minor surgery to her head, she will be fine." Jungkook answered calmly, relieved that at least someone wasn't trying to kill him.

Jongin nodded his head, before slowly retreating back to his seat.

---

Few days later.

"You guys!! " Soyeon exclaimed when she saw tall figures walking into her ward with balloons, flowers and get-well cards. Her voice were much weaker than the high-pitched ones the gang were used to but that beats her laying unconscious on the hospital bed as it was a few days ago.

"Hey! You're up!" The tallest of the crowd perked. Kris flashed his rarest smile of genuine sincerity, but was quick to wipe it away when he saw Jungkook approaching Soyeon's side with a glass of water. Jungkook gave Soyeon's friend a small bow to the head and they returned it.

"Err, you guys know Jungkook right?" Soyeon asked, looking around the room before settling her eyes on Jungkook. She had heard from Jungkook that her friends now knows about her relationship with him. Jungkook thought it doesn't seemed right for him to explain everything to Soyeon's friend and that she should do it instead. Soyeon couldn't be more than glad to take the role because she knows she owes her friends at least that - an explanation from her own mouth.

Chen heaved a sigh before taking a seat on the chair opposite of Jungkook. "Oh, you mean your husband here?" He didn't forgot to emphasize the word 'husband'.

"How dare you, Lee Soyeon!" Haerin hissed.

Sehun walked to the other end of the room to drag a chair a place it beside JungKook. "Yeah noona. How come you didn't tell us? You've been lying to us."

Soyoen began to tensed. Everyone was staring at her now. It did not help that she's having a spliting headache from the surgery.

"Are you okay?" She felt a hand on her shoulder. Jungkook propped her pillow nicely so that she would lean comfortably. Soyeon gave him a reassuring smile and a word of thank you.

That was the first time Soyeon's friend witnessed the interaction with a different perspective. They saw how Jungkook and Soyeon smiled at each other with affection - something they may have overlooked. They saw how obvious the attraction they have for each other.

Jongin's knees almost buckled at the sight before him. Yes, he knew they were in a relationship. But he thought he would have a chance. But marriage? How can he defeat that? Those looks Soyeon gave Jungkook. How could he steal that away? How could he break that strong red thread?

But Jongin stood silently at the corner of the room - hidden by tall figures of his friends, hidden from Soyeon's view. He was too much of a coward to voice out his feelings, but brave enough to mask everything in without running out of the room with desolate tears.


"Y-yes. I'm married to him." Soyeon finally voiced out. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I couldn't. I had to think of Jungkook's situation. You know his a rising idol and you know how scary the world can be if people know about us. No one can know about this. I can't be selfish."

"But didn't you think of how we would've felt?" Luhan spoke, his voice gentle with no hint of accuasation in his tone.

Soyeon break away her eye contact with her friends and looked down on her fingers. "Of course I do, I always do. I think about it so much till my heart hurts. If it were up to me, I would invite you to my wedding, I would let Hyeseong and Haerin accompany to shop for my wedding dress." She smiled at that simple thought.

"But--" Soyeon couldn't finish her sentence. Her eyes began to water.

"But she had to face everything alone. Do you know what it felt like to be wedded at a young age not of your own accord?" It was Jungkook who spoke, surprising Soyeon and the others. "I'm sorry that we didn't include you in on this secret but it wasn't her fault. If it's anybody's fault, it's mine." 

Hyeseong sniffled and ran to hug Soyeon. "Aww I'm so sorry. We didn't mean to be mad. But we were so shocked! You've been lying to us. I knew that you had something going on with Jungkook here!" She teased Soyeon, her nose red and tears rolling down her cheeks.

Soon, everyone began to break into giggles and teasing.

"Wow, your life sounded so much like a sappy drama and romance fanfiction." Chen exclaimed after Soyeon and Jungkook poured the whole story about their marriage.

Tao who was still baffled blew air out of his mouth in disbelif. "Whoa. Arranged marriage?" 

"Do you think harabeoji can set me up on an arranged marriage too? Red Velvet's Irene would be nice." Suho said, half joking.

Xiumin gave Suho a good nudge of his elbow to his ribs. "Yah! Irene's mine!" He hissed. It was rare to hear Xiumin claiming any girl as his - yes even celebrity counts because that's how rare for Xiumin to fancy any girl at all.

Haerin excitedly slapped Xiumin's muscular arms when his words strung an idea in her mind. "Yah, yah yah! Jungkook, do you think you can set me up with your group member, Jimin?"

Jungkook can't help but to snicker at her choice? "Why Jimin hyung?" 

"HAHAHAHAHA." Someone, probably Chen was laughing at something Haerin muttered under her breath - an insult.
 

"But hey, you're happy right?" Luhan asked seriously, bringing Soyeon's attention to him.

Soyeon nodded to answer his question. She threw her gaze to Jungkook who was sitting on of of the armchair by the window, conversing animatedly with Chanyeol, Lay and Kyungsoo.

 

Now, she's happy.


At least someone is.

---

Seveal nights later.

Ding Dong.

"It's okay umma, I got it." Soyoen shouted, running down the stairs before her mother could get to the door. Since she had got back from the hospital, her mother didn't let her do anything. Not even with helping her setting up the dining table for meals, or folding the laundry. Nothing. The least she could do is open the door right?

"Jongin". She breathed.

It was a surprise to see Jongin. To be honest, after the accident she had felt the distance between them. She noticed how Jongin was rarely with her now compared to before as though he was avoiding her. She had suspected this was due to the revelation of her marital status with Jungkook.

If that's the case, is it true then that he likes her?

"I need to talk you." Jongin said, looking deep into Soyeon's eyes.
 

"Who's that at the door?" Mrs Lee shouted from the living room.

Soyeon gave him an understanding smile and nodded. "It's Jongin!" She shouted back. "Also, I'm going out for awhile."

"What? No, no, no--" 

"It's okay omeonim. I'll take good care of her." Jongin assured that middle-aged lady as she decided to appear by the hallway.

She thought for awhile, juggling between forcing ehr to stay in or allow her to get a fresh air for awhile. "Okay, but don't stay up late." She finally gave in.



 

Jongin and Soyeon sat silently on the swing set that they used to play on since they were kids. It was still strong and sturdy, although slightly rusty by the metal chain holding the planes to the bar. Soyeon kicked her feet to push herself back and fly to the night sky. It wasn't far, but enough to make her feel her a little dizzy.

Jongin on the other hand just sat silently.

"Listen." He began. "Lee Soyeon, I love you."

Soyeon rounded her eyes at his confession. She wanted to say something back, but was too shock beyond words.

"I think I need to at least admit that, even if I was too late." Jongin continued, now looking at Soyeon. "Before you can blame yourself for not knowing, you have to know that it isn't your fault. It is I who was too afraid to tell you the truth, concealing it for four years long-"

For years? Soyeon almost chocked on her saliva.

"- and maybe it's for the best that I didn't profess my love for you. Because if I did, you wouldn't be happy now with Jungkook, would you?" He chuckled, a small teasing smirk slipped across his sun-kissed face.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm sorry" She repeated, again and again as she stood up and walked towards Jongin, finally kneeling in front of Jongin to cup his hands in her's.

"No, don't be." Jongin brushes Soyeon's hairs with his fingers, untangling her hair that got tangled by the wind. "I just have to take the good with the bad, smile with sad, love what I've got and remember what I had. I learnt my mistake, but I never regret it Soyeon. People change, things go wrong, but life--

--life goes on."

Sometimes love means letting go when you want to hold on tighter.


I will always love you Lee Soyeon. More than anything.

Few months later.




"Congratulations Soyeon!" Everyone shouted, throwing sprinkles of glitters and confettis as soon as Soyeon stepped into the private room at a restaurant her friends had booked as soon as they had heard the news from Soyeon. After months of struggling and catching up with her studies for the university entrance exam, Soyeon finally got accepted into the university she dreamed off - Korea University!


Suho was the first to come up to Soyeon with a present in hand. "I've prepared this earlier knowing well that you'd get into the university you've always wanted. Congratulations!"
 

"Aww, thank you so much!" Soyoen gave him a tight squeeze, touched at his thoughtful gesture. "Too bad you got into Seoul National University instead of Korea University. It was nice competing with you." She whined.

"Hey! Shouldn't I get the first hug?" Jongin interrupted, pushing Suho aside.

Soyeon rolled her eyes at his childishness. She was glad that they're no longer awkward with each other now. It takes time, but it was worth the wait. She finally got her best friend back.

"Humph, not too tight now Jongin. I can't breath." Soyeon wailed, but could not help herself from giggling.

She's just too happy.


A small tap on her shoulder made her jolted. "Eherm." Jungkook took Soyeon by the hand and whisked her away from Jongin.

"I think that's enough now Jongin. I don't allow anything more than that." He said with a stern voice to which Soyeon and Jongin could not help but to laugh at. They knew he was joking.

Jungkook bare no grudge against Jongin and vice versa. In fact, it was Jungkook's suggestion for Jongin to come clean with his feelings for Soyeon that night, a few months ago.

Honestly, Jongin couldn't think of anyone better to be by Soyeon's side.

"Aish, don't be such an overprotective, jealous husband." Haerin rolled her eyes. "I'm jealous." She mumbled the last words under her breath.


Chen clapped his hands to gain everyone's attention. As if, his booming voice wasn't loud enough. "So, now that Soyeons' future is settled... when are the babies coming?"

"Babies? I want babies!" Byunghun's sister, Hana shouted while munching on a piece of cake.

A loud groan was heard at the back of the room. "Eew gross. They're still a bunch of kids!" Sehun snickered.

"Shut up kiddo. While she's off to university, you're still in school, remember?" Byunghun reminded him, earning laughter from their other friends. Yes, after that trip down the guilty road, Lee Byunghun totally changed, or rather, reverted back to his old self.

Hana couldn't live with him so she had to stay at an orphanage nearby Byunghun's rented room. He worked part-time and stayed in school in order to bring her sister out of the orphanage and to live with him at a better home. He got along well with Soyeon and her friends from those hours of  visiting Soyeon at the hospital.

Hey, not everything turned out bad for him. Guess all he needed was some friends.


Soyeon and Jungkook wasn't listening to the conversation anymore. Those words they heard from Chen got them thinking. "Do you--" Both of them said at the same time.

"Well, I really do want a pair of twins." Jungkook said, his voice low enough so that only she could hear it.

Soyeon was fast to give Jungkook a whack or two on his arms. "Yah! What were you thinking? We still have a lot time ahead of us!" She hissed.


"But--"

"Unless you plan to switch me with some other hot Kpop star in the future." She huffed. 

Jungkook can't help but to feel how cute she she looked being jealous. Normally guys would hate it when their partner got all jealous and overprotective over their boyfriend. But not Jungkook. Jungkook love every moment that Soyeon was jealous. Because she's so adorable and it gives him a sense of security that he will always be her's.

As she will always be his.

"What? You think you'll get away from me?" He smirked, tucking a starnd hair behind her ears. "Sweety, you're mine. And you'll be stuck with me till death do us apart."

 

We promised each other that on the date we got married.







End.

Author's note.


I highly recommend that you listen to Season of Love by Rumble Fish as you read the final part of this chapter. It goes along really well with the mood.

So hey, it finally ended, after about a year. Yay! Applaus!
I wouldn't make it this far if it weren't for you subbies and upvoters. Especially those who left the comments, with lovely words and great ideas and of course, your insistence for me to update.
 

I'm so sorry for taking my time to update so thank you for your patience.
The story was crappy in all honesty. I didn't like the ending but I'm racing against time. I feel like deleting this. But let's just leave this as a reminder for me to write better next time.
Speaking of next, there might be bonus chapters! Weehooo!

 

Take this as a New Year's gift eh?
I wish for it to be a better year. Honestly, it's a bad year for most of us.


Happy New Year everyone!