Dojoon
Minki
Hyungjin
Stepdad
Yoojung
Woobin
You tallied up the names of the people around you who had gone missing or dead.
Does Kim sonsaeng have something to do with this?
A few minutes ago, you had just heard about Woobin's passing. The police deemed it as suicide because they found a suicide note on the rooftop where he jumped off from.
But somehow, you didn't quite believe it. It was all too coincidental. Everyone who had posed any threat on you had disappeared one by one.
You desperately wanted to talk to Taehyung, but you didn't have his number nor did he ever appear in front of you again. Nevertheless, you knew that he was around.
You believed that the stem of white heather laid at your doorstep every single day was his doing. His signal to tell you that he'd never left.
Two months went by peacefully, without any other incident. Tomorrow would be your graduation.
You were very nervous. Not because of the graduation in particular, but because of the prospect of finally seeing Taehyung again.
He'll come, won't he?
He hadn't contacted you for so long, so you couldn't help but worry. You tossed & turned in your bed all night, hearts pounding in anticipation.
Tomorrow I'll be free, but will he be there to celebrate with me?
The next morning, you woke up much earlier than usual, ironed your uniform, put on a light makeup, & brushed your hair meticulously.
This is it.
You thought to yourself as you smiled at your own reflection in the mirror.
"Eomma, I'm going." You exclaimed as you opened the door to your mother's room.
She was still lying unconscious in bed, a few empty bottles of soju strewn on her bedside table.
You heaved a deep sigh & closed the door, not even disappointed that she wouldn't be attending your graduation.
The morning air felt exceptionally fresh today. You kept checking your phone on your way, in case Taehyung called or sent a text to you. But he didn't.
Maybe he'll surprise me & come to the ceremony.
But again, he didn't.
You searched for his face in the crowd as you went on stage to receive your diploma, but you couldn't find him.
Every one of your classmates cheerfully took pictures with their family at the end of the ceremony. You were the only person without any one to celebrate with. People were throwing pitiful glances at you & whispering behind your back, making you felt even worse.
Where is he? Has he forgotten about today?
The tears in your eyes were about to fall when suddenly somebody tapped your shoulder from behind.
"Excuse me, are you Ms. Song Y/n?" The man in some kind of courier uniform asked you.
"Y-Yes?"
"Here's a package for you. Please sign here." He said as he handed you a medium-sized box.
You signed the receipt quickly & opened the box. A small bouquet of white heather was lying in the center of the box with a small folded note on it.
Kim sonsaeng.
You hastily unfolded the note & read it.
"Congratulations for your graduation! And happy birthday! I'll be waiting for you at the gallery."
You knew exactly which gallery he meant, so you immediately dashed to the bus stop.
A 'closed' sign was hanging on the glass door when you arrived at the gallery. The space looked dark from the outside. Yet the door swung open when you pushed it.
You cautiously stepped inside & scanned your surroundings. The place was empty, no one was in sight. Even the walls were bare.
You moved further into the gallery & began to wonder if you'd made the right guess.
"Saengil chukhahamnida. Saengil chukhahamnida. Saranghaneun Y/nie. Saengil chukhahamnida." Taehyung's husky voice startled you.
You turned around & saw him walking towards you with a birthday cake in his hands, one candle lit on top of it.
"Ssaem.." Tears involuntarily rolled down your eyes as a relieved smile broke your face.
"Make a wish."
You closed your eyes & clasped your hands together.
I want to be with him forever.
Then, you opened your eyes & blew the candle.
The room went dark again. Your eyes were still adjusting to the dim light when you felt his fingers intertwining with yours.
"Follow me." He said.
You trailed behind him & both of you stopped in front of the wall at one corner of the gallery. A single painting was hung on it. Spotlights shone on the painting, making it look like a radiant sun in the dark universe.
It was a painting by V that you'd loved so much. The one that you had often visited the gallery for.
"It's my birthday present for you. Do you like it?" Taehyung asked without taking his eyes off the painting.
"How do you know that I love this painting?" Your eyes widened in surprise.
"I'm glad you still like it." He smiled at you, but didn't exactly answer your question.
"Thank you V sonsaengnim. This is definitely my favorite work of yours." You muttered as you leaned your head on his shoulder.
He gently pushed you away & stared into your eyes.
"You knew?"
"Yes. And I can't believe how lucky I am to be here with you now. I will never let go again." You squeezed his hand & smiled.
He didn't say anything in return. His expression became unreadable. It was as if a shadow had casted over his face.
"Do you know that this is the place where we first met?" He abruptly turned towards the painting & said.
"Huh? Really?" As far as you remembered, you first met him at the art club.
"Y/n ah, would you come with me? I need to show you something."
"Oh. Ok. Where?"
"You'll see." A thin smile formed on his lips & somehow your gut told you that it wouldn't be pleasant.

-•-

You quietly waited & watched as he unlocked the door to the warehouse. His studio warehouse.
You had visited that place once before & memories of that day flooded your mind.
"Are you bringing me here to help you clean up again?" You tried to tease him, but he only shook his head in response.
Why is he acting so mysterious like that?
The smell of paint & thinner hit your nose once you stepped into the space.
"I can't believe you haven't made any mess."
The room was clean & tidy, just like the state you left it in.
"Y/n ah, I.. I need to ask you something." Taehyung stood before you & held both of your hands in his.
"Ok.." Your heart hammered inside your chest, anticipating his question.
"Song Y/n, I love you more than anything in my life. Heck, I even love you more than my life itself. I've been fascinated by you from the first time I laid eyes on you & you had been the center of my universe ever since. So, would you marry me & make me the happiest man on earth?" He got on one knee & stared deep into your eyes as he said those words.
You gasped in surprise. You couldn't believe that he was proposing to you so soon.
Song Y/n, he's the best thing that has ever happened to you & you love him so much too. What else is there to think about?
So you made your decision.
"Of course, I d-"
"Wait. Before you give me your answer, I need to show you something." He cut you off & abruptly stood up.
"What do you need to show me?" You asked in confusion.
"Just follow me."
He guided you to the back of the warehouse, passed the bathroom where you had taken a shower in back then, into another section of it which was connected to the main building by a long narrow corridor.
"Wow, this building is much bigger than it looks from the outside." You muttered to yourself.
He stopped in front of a metal door & took out a set of keys from his pants pocket. The door opened with a silent click & he walked in first to turn on the lights.
"Please come in." He said in a flat tone.
You stepped into the room & chills instantly ran down your spine.
"Oh my God.."
The walls of the room were covered with paintings & pictures of you. Pictures, you had never known existed. All of them were taken candidly from a distance.
"H-Have you been stalking me?" Blood drained from your face as fear crept inside your chest.
"I have." He answered matter-of-factly.
You observed the photographs & noticed something odd. Some of them seemed to be taken way before you'd met Taehyung.
"W-Wait. H-How did you get these pictures? We haven't even met when this was taken." You turned to him.
He bit his lower lip & averted his gaze. Then, he exhaled deeply & looked straight at you again.
"Y/n ah, we actually met earlier than what you remember. Much earlier."

Flashback, Taehyung POV
"V sonsaengnim! I'm so sorry, I didn't know that you were coming. What suddenly brought you here?" The director of the gallery exclaimed apologetically as he rushed towards me.
"I was just in the neighborhood. Please keep it low, I don't want anyone to find out." I pulled my mask higher to hide my face.
"Ah yes yes, sure. For your information, the exhibition is a huge success. I-"
"Kang director, can you please leave me alone? I would like to walk around on my own." I cut him off, knowing full well that I was being extremely rude.
"Oh. Yes, of course. I'm sorry to bother you. I'll be in my office, please let me know if you need anything." He smiled & bowed at me, but the hint of annoyance in his voice didn't escape my ears.
I walked to one of my paintings & stared at it.
Trash.
That was the only word I could think of when I looked at it.
Many people might find my paintings enjoyable, but to me they were all hideous. I was at a point in life where nothing excited me anymore. Even painting, something that I used to love so much, couldn't ignite my passion. My once vibrant life had become monochromatic.
I was strolling around mindlessly when I saw a girl standing still in front of my lesser known work.
She was crying.
Her droplets of tears shone like pearls as they slid down her porcelain skin. Her long dark hair covered half of her face, but I could tell that she was gorgeous. Her delicate shoulders were trembling so hard, as if one tiny push would make her crumble into a pile of broken bones. She looked so vulnerable that a strong desire to hold her & protect her emerged within me.
I had fallen for her at first sight. How clichéd, but it was true. My life had suddenly become colorful again.
I contemplated on how to approach her & decided to just go straight at her to introduce myself. But I was a second too late. Someone else had laid his eyes on her as well.
A part-timer in the gallery walked to her & handed her a handkerchief. I saw them talking to each other from afar. Her frown gradually curved slightly upwards into a faint smile as she listened intently to whatever the guy was saying. The guy gave her his phone & she tapped into it before giving it back to him. Then, they waved to each other before the guy left her alone again.
She continued roamed through the gallery, stopping in front of the paintings from time to time. I was about to walk up to her again, when someone touched my shoulder.
"Sonsaengnim, I need to go out for a while. Is it alright if I leave you? My assistant is still here though. You can talk to her if you-" The director said.
"Yes yes, go ahead." I didn't even wait for his reply & quickly turned back around, but she wasn't there anymore.
I frantically searched for her shadow throughout the gallery. But she was gone.
Shit.
I walked dejectedly towards the exit with my head lowered, cursing inwardly at the director who had blown my chances.
"Ow. Sorry, I didn't see you." Someone bumped into me & the melodious voice made me look up in newfound hope.
Like a miracle, she was standing right in front of me.
"I-It's ok." I stuttered, my brain failed to form a longer reply.
"Alright then. Have a good night." She nodded at me & pushed the door open, stepping out into the cold night air.
I stared at her diminishing back for a few seconds before I followed her footsteps & closed the distance again.
That was the beginning of my love story.

Present, Y/n POV
"So you've been stalking me way before you became our art club counselor? In that case, you becoming a teacher in my school wasn't a coincidence?" You still couldn't wrap your head around Taehyung's revelation.
"It wasn't." He admitted flatly.
"And everything after that?" You felt like you were being played like a puppet by him.
"Honestly, my intention was pure. I only wanted to get to know you & protect you. I understood that you were much younger than me & society would judge. The moment I realized that you wanted to give your body to me in exchange for money, I was devastated. I tried to stay away from you, although it was painful for me, & helped you get that scholarship so at least you wouldn't have to worry anymore for your future. But you got into so many situations where I had no choice but to save you. I have been in love with you for a long time, but I didn't plan to go this deep. In the end, I did & I don't regret it at all." He stepped closer to you, but you retreated. The pained look in his eyes hurt your heart.
"Please don't come closer. I need to digest all of this." You put your palm up to stop him. Your mind was in a chaos. One part of you was scared shitless, but another part of you were flattered that he went through all of that for you.
"There's something else.." He muttered after a stretch of silence.
"What?" You had a guess in mind about what he was going to reveal, but you prayed that you were wrong.
"Do you really want to know?" He sounded hesitant.
"Yes." You nodded, although you were afraid to find out the truth.
He took out another key from his pocket & opened the cupboard on your right hand side. Then, he signaled you to take a look inside.
Heart pounding, you stepped closer & peeked inside.
Your knees went weak in an instant.
Five phones were laid neatly on the middle rack of the cupboard, each labeled with the name of the owners.
Dojoon, Minki, Hyungjin, stepdad, Woobin.
"It really was you.." You muttered under your breath.
"I'm sorry. I had to make them disappear so that they wouldn't cause harm to you anymore. The first ones, Dojoon & his friends, were unintentional. The three of them came at me when they found out that I was the reason for them being expelled. So I had to do it to protect myself. Then, your stepdad.. He had caused you so much pain. When he came to me asking for more money, I ended him. As for Woobin, he-" Taehyung explained everything in a flat tone, as if he was depicting an innocent occurrence.
"Enough! I don't want to listen anymore!" You screamed as you covered your ears with both hands.
"I'm sorry.. I told you I didn't plan to go this far, but they were coming at you, so.. Sorry.." He looked sideways & sniffed, seemingly regretting his horrendous actions.
Then, suddenly something dawned on you.
"What about Yoojung?" You asked.
"Yoojung.." He bit his lower lip & avoided your gaze.
"Did you bury her? What did you do to her body?"
"Y/n ah, I did all this because I love you. You can hate me or stop loving me after this. Whatever your decision is, I'll accept it. My fate is in your hands." Tears glistened in his eyes as he said those words.
"What do you mean?" You looked at him confused.
He tapped the laptop on the table & the screen lit up. It seemed to be playing some kind of black & white video. You squinted your eyes to see clearer & when you realized that it was a realtime broadcast, your mouth went slack in shock.
"Omg, she's still alive!" You gasped.
You could see Yoojung sitting limply on the floor, leaning to the metal bars, with bandage wrapped around her head.
"Where are you keeping her?! Let her go!" With tears streaming down your face, you turned to Taehyung & yelled.
"This is when you need to decide.." He calmly said.
"What? What is there to decide? You need to release her now!" You became even more hysterical.
"That door leads to the basement where Yoojung is. If you truly want me to let her go, I will. But if I do, I'll go to jail for a long time & I may not see you ever again. Is that what you want?"
"Is this a test? Are you testing me? Please don't do this ssaem. I know that you're not a monster. Please don't do this to me." You sobbed.
"It's too late. I've become a monster because of you." His lips curved slightly into a sad smile.
"I can't let her die. I can't." You shook your head, tears blurring your vision.
He sucked a deep breath & let it out sharply.
"If that's your choice, then I shall do it. I still love you Song Y/n & I always will." He said before he started walking towards the door. His eyes were gentle.
You stared at his back. The back of a man you had wished to live with forever a few hours ago. The man you had longed to see & hold & kiss. The man you had loved with all your heart.
Yes, he was wrong for harming all these people. But he did it all for you. His love for you was bigger than anyone had given or would ever be able to give you. He even exposed his ugliest side to you despite the risk of you leaving him, just so he could be completely honest with you. He was a monster, but he was your beast.
"Wait!" You exclaimed, right before he turned the door knob.
He slowly turned around & you saw tracks of tears lining his cheeks. That, broke you.
You ran to him & hugged him tightly, surprising him with your sudden act.
"Y-Y/n ah.." He stuttered.
"Can we just leave everything behind & start fresh?" You looked up at him & asked.
"Y-You mean-" His eyes widened.
"Yes, I will marry you." Your heart was set. The past couldn't be changed, but you could change your future. And you were willing to risk it all for him, just like he had for you.
He pulled you into a fierce hug & slammed his lips onto yours. The sensation electrified your whole body. You felt at peace in his embrace, making you momentarily forget the horrendous crime that you were committing.
"I love you Song Y/n." He uttered as he leaned his forehead on yours.
"I love you too ssaem." And you meant it from the bottom your heart.
Both of you walked out of the warehouse & you looked on as he locked the heavy metal door.
"Ssaem, can you give me the key?" You extend your palm at him & he placed the key in the middle of it without any question.
You stared at the key in your hand.
This is it. If I do this, there will be no turning back.
"Y/n ah?" Concern laced his voice.
You heaved a deep sigh & threw the key away with all your might.
"Let's go." You linked your arm with his & smiled.
Today marks the beginning of the rest of our lives.

Two years later
"Song Y/n ssi, you're the youngest artist ever to win Future Generation Art prize. How do you feel about your outstanding achievement?" The reporter asked you.
"Of course I feel extremely grateful. There were so many great artists who participated so I didn't expect to win at all." You answered as you crossed your leg & put your hand around your knee. The solitaire diamond on your ring finger twinkled under the spotlight.
"Some people said that you had won the prize because you're married to V sonsaengnim, who is one of the most prominent artist in the world right now. What do you think about that?"
Your brows twitched slightly at the provocative question. That wasn't in the script at all & you could see your manager shaking his head in disapproval behind the camera.
You quickly regained your composure & straightened your back.
"People are entitled to their opinions, but Future Generation is one of the most prestigious art award in the world, I doubt they would let me win just because of who my husband is." You chuckled.
"Fair enough. You got married at a very young age & I heard the good news that soon you're going to be a mother. Is there anything you regret? Something you wish you had or hadn't done?"
Dojoon, Minki, Hyungjin, stepdad, Woobin.
And Yoojung.
Their names inadvertently popped up in your mind but you quickly chased them away. Your heart beat faster & cold sweat began to form on your forehead.
"Nothing. I feel blessed that I met my husband early in life. My life has been everything I could ever ask for & so much more." You tried to remain calm & forced a saccharine smile on your lips.
The reporter continued asking a few other questions, but you couldn't concentrate. All you wanted to do was go home.
"Y/n ssi, I'm so sorry about earlier. I'll talk to the production team & ask them to edit out the questions which were out of script." Your manager hastily apologized once the recording was done.
"Don't worry about it. It was nothing I couldn't handle. I just want to go home now." You sighed.
"Alright, I'll tell the driver to wait for you at the lobby."
You walked to the studio lobby in a daze. The image of those people from your past muddled your mind.
"Yeobo.." Taehyung's voice snapped you out of your thoughts.
"Why are you here? Where is the driver?" You asked in surprise as you got into the front passenger seat of the Mercedes.
"I told him to go home. I missed you, so I want to spend some time alone with you. Is that ok?" He asked while squeezing your hand.
"Of course." Warmth radiated inside your body at his simple touch.
"How are you? And how's my baby? You look tired. Just clear out your schedule for tomorrow & get some rest." A frown formed in between his impeccable brows.
"I'm fine. And the baby is fine too. I actually felt it kicking earlier & it was so strong." You chuckled, happiness spread in your chest when you talked about the baby.
"Really? That's great! Seriously, I can't wait to meet him or her. Thank you for giving me so much joy in my life. I can't imagine my life without you." He brought your hand to his lips & kissed it.
Yes Y/n ah, you'd made your choice back then so stop thinking about it. No one will ever find out.
You looked down at your slightly bulging belly & rubbed it with your thumb.
"Me too. I also can't live without you, Yeobo." You smiled at him & locked the dreadful memory in the deepest part of your brain.

-The end-