FOREVERMORE
 

It’d been years since she’d last stepped foot in that place. She missed walking in the hallways of her house in Jeonju, but she was back for bad, not for good. When she got a call saying their house had been sold by her parents a long time ago and that she had to get all her things out of that place, she instantly took the first flight to her hometown, barely telling her family. 

Jeonju was hot that time of year, but when she saw the chair her mom used to sit on and the couch where her brother and dad watched sports, she froze. The memories came flooding in and she had to stop. She stood there for around ten minutes, and when she had enough strength, she kept walking, going up the stairs. On the second floor she didn’t even look at her bedroom before going to the attic. 

She had many regrets, but the biggest one will hunt her until the day she dies. After cleaning everything and seeing the dust disappear from the dark room, she opened her Pandora’s box. 

Who would’ve thought never accepting yourself would cause this much harm? She asked herself when she saw the smile she hadn’t seen in more than thirty years. Suddenly pictures made sound, and the laugh she will forever love started overwhelming her senses, the smell she had wanted to breathe again filled up her nose, and her eyes watered, she missed her. 

She planned on still acting like a lovestruck teen but her phone ringing brought her out of her daze. 

“Taeyeon, how’s everything going?” she heard her husband ask her. 

“Everything’s well, I’ll be back as soon as everything is sorted out,” she answered. 

“I know that, Tae. Please come back soon, the more you stay there, the more you’ll hurt,” she loved that about him, he knew she could never love him but he still supported her. He made life easier for her. 

“I know, Baek. But I can do this, I have to do this. I’m busy right now, I’ll call you later.” 

She hung up, and kept walking the road down memory lane. She saw her 6-year-old self smiling and remembered the feeling of having a great best friend, she felt the anxiety of acknowledging she had feelings for her life companion, and felt the pain of letting her go. That fateful day in 2017 she knew her life would forever be dull, but through pain and reality she survived and her own family was created. All her children were grown up by now, but her life was still missing something, and she perfectly knew what it was.

After hearing a car park in front of the house, she went down the stairs to check who it was, maybe it was the family that bought the house. When she opened the front door, she was barely able to feel the sun on her face because of the familiar figure that made its way towards her. The figure was walking confidently until she noticed who she was. 

“F-Fany? Is that you?” asked Taeyeon. She was sure that was Tiffany, an older one, but Tiffany nonetheless, however she felt the need to confirm. 

“Taeyeon? Tae? I thought nobody lived here anymore,” was all Tiffany could say after seeing her long-lost best friend looking at her. 

“Oh yeah, nobody lives here. I just came here to get my things, don’t worry, I’ll get going soon,” answered Taeyeon. She felt the all too familiar nervousness take over her, but she wouldn’t let it be shown. 

“Oh okay. I thought m-” started saying Tiffany when her husband’s voice interrupted her. 

“Tiff, everything okay there?” asked Nichkhun, looking at her weirdly. 

“Oh yeah, yeah. Just talking to Taeyeon here, she’s the daughter of the people that used to live here,” said Tiffany with a smile, hugging her husband. 

“Do you know each other?” asked the clueless guy. 

“Um... yes, you could say we go way back,” said Taeyeon with a small smile, and before Tiffany could say anything, she continued. 

“Anyway, I have to go look for my things and I’ll go, it was nice meeting you,” said Taeyeon as she bowed politely. 

She made her way inside the house, and rapidly took all her belongings, including everything that meant memories, that were in the attic. When she stepped out of it, she noticed Tiffany had been looking at her while she was gathering her things.

“Tae, you don’t have to do this. I miss you, it’s been too long,” said Tiffany in a sad tone. 

“I’m sorry, Fany. I miss you too, but I just can’t do this, and you know why,” answered Taeyeon, going down the stairs. 

“C’mon Tae, don’t do this,” said Tiffany grabbing Taeyeon’s arm. She didn’t want to lose her best friend again. 

“I have to. It was really nice seeing you again, I hope you live well in this place, you know how much this house means to me,” said Taeyeon taking her arm away from Tiffany. 

“Let me at least have one last hug,” said Tiffany. She didn’t wait for an answer before taking Taeyeon in a warm embrace, silent tears making their way down her face. If only I had been brave enough. I’m so sorry, Tae. 

“I love you,” whispered Taeyeon as she pulled away, giving Tiffany one last look before finally stepping out of the house. 

“I love you, too.” Forevermore, said in an inaudible voice Tiffany. 

Taeyeon arrived in Seoul hours later, the moon had already taken the sun’s place and she thought of how funny it was, she used to be the sun of that house, but now it was the moon’s place to reign, Tiffany’s place. 

I wish you the best, Fany. Wished Taeyeon to the universe, maybe in another life things were different and they ended up together but, who knows?