Taehyung sat in bed immediately as he felt himself being strangled.

Sigh, nightmare again…

He couldn’t help but ponder what could the nightmare mean. It didn’t look real at all and the people were all masked. Every night, the scene would just continue itself and it had yet to complete. Dragging himself out of bed, he readied himself for another day in the campus.

The day dragged on and Taehyung had been cooping himself in the staff room for the entire day.

“Mr V, someone is here to meet you.” One of the staff approached his temporary desk and Taehyung allowed her to bring the person to him.

The brink of the mug was about to touch his lips but he pulled it away the moment he saw Sora coming towards him. “Sohee…” He softened.

Sora pressed her lips, causing her dimples to show effortlessly. “I came to ask whether you’d be free later on.”

Taehyung instantly waved his hands saying that he could certainly make time for her. But he had to finish a few more lines of his report before he’d be dismissed for the day. Sora didn’t mind the wait and she sat in one of the chairs behind him as the other staff already took his leave.

She was looking around at the staff’s desk when Taehyung shifted his eyes to the mirror that no one ever noticed. He could see Sora’s silky black hair that bobbed upon her every movement and how poised she was, waiting for him with innocence tugging at her back.

It took him longer than the time he promised he’d be done with the report. After a few more checks, Taehyung slammed his laptop close and wore the coat that dressed the headrest of his office chair. The two proceeded to walk out of the office and made their way into his car silently.

-

“We’re here… again.” He wasn’t expecting her to bring them to this building that they had once seen from afar. Something about this place haunted him. It was like the end of the magnet that repels him as he didn’t feel good about this place and he felt the need to scoot away from it.

Sora tugged his sleeve and encouraged him to enter in discreet.

Up the 10^th floor, they strolled out and Taehyung was starting to feel a little troubled at the sight of the stained railings. He felt that the sight of them were almost familiar. Sora was already fumbling with the keys to get access into the apartment that stood on the right from where the elevator is.

Click.

The door was unlocked. The girl pushed the door open but Taehyung held her back. He laid his hand on her shoulder, face showing uncertainty.

“Now we’re here, tell me where are we at?”

Sora had been keeping the answer from him as she was afraid that he wouldn’t agree to coming to this place. She just wanted him to remember his past and this place might be a great help to them.

“Where we grew up at, this place was our home.”

Taehyung could guess that coming but the moment she assured him that was their home, he was feeling anxious of all sudden. He wasn’t ready for the sudden pain that would pierce his mind if ever a memory were to start rolling back to him. Furthermore, this place might lead him to remember everything, Taehyung was honestly afraid.

“Don’t worry, I’m here.” She opened her palm, in hope that he would grab it and follow her inside.

And he did. Taehyung was just looking around at the walls and empty rooms that seemed to be cleaned after they had left. He couldn’t remember how they even looked like before.

“No one moved in after us?” He asked.

Sora shook her head. “I told my mom that I don’t want to let go of this apartment.”

Taehyung could understand why. But everything’s almost gone… There’s nothing that could help him remember anything. Sora led him to the lonely cupboard that held some framed pictures. She picked up some of the pictures they took together at some events.

“This was the first and the last time we ever went skiing. You saved up a lot just for that day.” She passed him a frame with eyes that anticipated something in return.

“The house after we left abruptly was in its horrid state. I cried a lot that day when we came here to clean everything up. For three years… for three years, I waited for you. And people kept on saying that you’re gone but I chose not to believe that. I knew that Kim Taehyung will find his way to survive. I believed in you.” Sora spoke those touching words with her back facing him. She was getting emotional, no doubt.

But Taehyung felt sorry that they had to meet each other this way. After three years, they met each other as V and Sohee.

Sora faced him and V simply shook his head, regretting that he couldn’t remember a thing.

“This, how about this?” She showed him a goodbye letter that he wrote before passing it to Hoseok.

Taehyung read it carefully, word by word. Soon, his tears fell and he felt a little throb at his temples. He took a seat on the dusty floor and closed his eyes to ease himself from the early stage of pain. “Are you okay?” Sora knelt down next to him but Taehyung couldn’t coordinate himself to give her a response yet.

Soon, voices were starting to haunt him. His right ear was blocked and he could only hear some inner voice in his mind that screamed profanities. Taehyung closed his ears tightly and clenched his teeth. “Sohee…” He slowly bent towards the floor.

“Do you need help? I can call-“ She got onto her feet to reach for her handphone but Taehyung gripped her ankle. “No… Just for a while… I’m okay.” He breathed heavily and eventually cooled down a little. Taehyung stared at the rusted windows with his droopy eyes as he tried to connect whatever that flashed through his mind.

“Sohee… those bad guys, what have I got to do with them? And those black bags… What are they?” Sora gasped the moment he asked that. So he did remember something…

“Drug dealers. When we were younger, some baddies took the both of us after they killed your parents. You were old enough to speak up as a witness so they had to raise you up in fear. They raised you to be one of them so you can never turn yourself in to the police. If you ever spill that you know those people that killed your parents, you’d also be behind the bars for trading drugs. I didn’t know anything about this until you left me. The truth came out from Namjoon after you left,”

“Those bags… you would carry them home every month and you refuse to tell me what’s inside too.”

Taehyung’s mind pounded again after a spark of memory zapped through. At the dim lobby, those people were punching him all over. A powerful kick was thrown at his stomach and he collapsed on the floor… half-conscious.

“V?” Sora waved her hand in front of his eyes.

“Sorry, this is a little bit too much… Let’s come back again some other time, I need some rest.” He dusted off the few lint that were attached to his pants. Sora agreed as well since she didn’t want him to pressure himself. It takes time and she had to learn how to be patient.

-

The empty ice rink was scarred as the persistent skater kept on gliding despite her flaws in spinning. Her landing failed badly too but she insisted on stopping.

Her mistakes made her look like a failure and she was greatly disappointed in herself.

Just as she landed and fell on the cold ground, she heard an applause coming from her left. She looked at where the sound was coming from as she thought all this while, she had been alone.

“You were much better than yesterday, sis.” He walked down the stairs to meet his sister at the side of the ice rink.

“You don’t know anything about skating… I can’t do this anymore… I can’t do the perfect rotation like before.” She sobbed.

“Shh Shh… Little miss Hyeri, the doctor said you’re fine now. It’s just that you choose not to believe in yourself.” He stooped to lift his sister’s chin. “You don’t understand, I practice every day but my stunts are horrible. It’s time to give up on this dream.” She took off her ice skates and walked out of the rink.

Junki clenched his fist. If it wasn’t for BTS, this wouldn’t have happened. Now Hyeri could no longer skate due to a ligament tear that’s vulnerable to any active sports. She would fall at random times as they walk as her right leg is now weak. She couldn’t afford to chase her dreams any longer.

He followed his sister into the locker room and sat in one of the benches.

“Enjoying the recent news? Kim Sohee and Jung Daehyun…“ Junki smirked.

“Absolutely. Everyone in Kyungnam High knows their little secret. That press conference was . Royal Duo and their lies.”

“Your day has come, sister. She’s gonna have the toughest time of her life. So just sit back and relax, enjoy the show.”

“This show is boring, brother. Someone has to die. Because of that , those guys trying to ‘protect’ her, ruined my dreams. I can’t let her live on ‘suffering’ this way.” Hyeri fumed in anger as she was reminded of the past.

For three years, Hyeri had been suffering on her own. She couldn’t skate for a year after BTS harmed her. Junki understood her grudge on Sora and whoever she’s associated to but it surprised him that the grudge in her remained completely strong even after three years had passed.

“We’ve killed her sister, what more do you want?” Junki asked.

“Her. Run her over or bring her over to the slaughter house, I don’t care. I can’t stand living as long as she’s alive.”