“My mom might kill me if she learns that I will teach you our family’s secret recipe of making the best japchae,” Jungkook told Dahyun as they walked to her apartment with grocery bags in their hands.

“She wouldn’t know!” Dahyun insisted.

“Still, my conscience will bug me,” Jungkook replied, “I think the only way to save this situation is for you to become part of our family.”

“I’m not up for adoption,” Dahyun exclaimed before teasing, “Unless you’re thinking of marrying me.”

“Well, I won’t say yes to your marriage proposal unless you find me a ring,” Jungkook retorted.

Dahyun chuckled in reply, nudging him away from her and Jungkook mirrored her chortles. However, their laughter died down upon noticing that Taehyung and Joohyun were also on their way to the apartment coming from the opposite end of the road.

Jungkook glanced at Dahyun, trying to gauge on how she would react, but Dahyun merely stared at the intertwined hands of Taehyung and Joohyun.

“We can pretend we didn’t see them,” he whispered a suggestion.

“There’s no point in trying to deny a reality that exists before me,” Dahyun replied softly.

I might as well enjoy his presence while he is still here.

She mustered the biggest smile that she could make and greeted them, “Hello Mister Kim. Hello Miss Joohyun.”

“Hello Dahyun,” Joohyun smiled at her in reply, “And?”

“Jungkook,” he introduced himself, “Good day to you.”

“You needed help with groceries?” Taehyung eyed the bags in their hands.

“Oh no. These are ingredients we bought for our cooking lesson,” Dahyun replied, choosing to engage in a conversation with them.

I want to hear that voice while I can still can.

I should make the most out of the interactions I could still have.

I want to savor the moments that he’s still beside me – even if it’s not love but only kindness that he can offer.

“I see,” Taehyung nodded, “Are Chaeyoung and the others in your unit too? I guess you’re having a different type of study session now.”

“No. It’s just the two of us,” Dahyun replied, “Jungkook’s going to teach me how to cook japchae.”

Taehyung paused upon finding out that the two were alone together again – the amount of times that he had seen Dahyun and Jungkook together was nourishing a fear in him, a fear that was making his heart ache.

However, he masked his worries and instead tried to lighten the atmosphere by saying, “Oh. You’re trying to learn a skill for future husband.”

Dahyun beamed, as their exchange reminded her of the memory where she and Taehyung were walking down the same street together, and it was him who first knew that she had to learn how to cook.

“A skill for myself and future husband would just benefit incidentally,” she corrected with a grin.

Taehyung smiled back, as it had been long since he and Dahyun had a friendly exchange – it had been long since Dahyun had given him a warm smile.

But before Taehyung could fully savor the moment, Jungkook spoke.

“Future husband knows how to cook already,” Jungkook creased his brows. When the three of them threw curious glances at him, he added, “I’m the future husband. Dahyun proposed to me just a minute ago.”

Dahyun whined as she slapped his arm and Jungkook chortled in reply, trying to avoid Dahyun’s other attempts to hit him.

The sight made Joohyun smile as the two’s bickering reminded her of her own college days with Taehyung. It reminded her of how they started as close friends before love blossomed between them.

Joohyun looked at Taehyung, to see if he was as nostalgic as she was but instead of sentimentality, she found pain in the way he stared at Dahyun and Jungkook. Slowly, the smile on her lips vanished as the love that she was trying to reminisce was wilting before her very eyes.

“I think we need to go before you start believing this dork,” Dahyun tried to bail out, “See you around Mister Kim and Miss Joohyun.”

“Hmmm,” Joohyun merely hummed as the two politely bowed their heads at her before proceeding to the apartment ahead of them.

Joohyun looked at Taehyung’s hand that was still holding hers, then her gaze slowly travelled to his eyes that still lingered on Dahyun.

“I’m just waiting for my visa then I will be submitting my resignation letter to the company. I’ve informed Mister Nam that I have to plans to leave my unit too,” Taehyung told Joohyun as he walked with her in the airport.

They stopped right before the boarding area and Taehyung sighed before adding, “I’ll see you in New York, then.”

Joohyun looked at her surroundings, observing the people who were saying their farewells, before her gaze finally fell on Taehyung. She bit her lower lip before slowly releasing a heavy sigh.

“Thank you, Taehyung, for everything,” she said, “I’m sorry I have deprived this moment from you for a long time.”

Taehyung furrowed his brows before blurting, “What are you saying?”

Joohyun she swallowed the lump on before replying, “I asked you to accompany me here in the airport so that we can properly say our goodbyes.”

“Why would we say goodbyes – come on, Joohyun,” Taehyung argued, “I told you I’d come with you to New York. What are you talking about?”

“No, Taehyung,” Joohyun shook her head, “You have to stay here because this is where your heart belongs.”

“I-I don’t understand – “ Taehyung stuttered, trying to make an argument but Joohyun kept shaking her head.

She gave out another long sigh before saying, “I am thankful for everything that you did for me Taehyung. I appreciate how you tried to make your unit just the same way so that I will still feel welcome.”

Then she beamed, as she added, “But there are things that you cannot prevent from changing – like the way that your heart is already beating for someone else.”